India has made a significant leap in the latest Network Readiness Index (NRI) 2024, moving up 11 places to secure the 49th spot globally. This marks an improvement from its 60th position in the NRI 2023 report, released on November 21, 2024. The NRI 2024 report evaluates the network-based readiness of 133 economies across four key pillars: Technology, People, Governance, and Impact, using 54 variables to assess performance.

India not only improved its rank but also saw an increase in its score, rising from 49.93 in 2023 to 53.63 in 2024. The country shines in multiple areas, securing first place in indicators like AI scientific publications, AI talent concentration, and ICT services exports. It ranks second in FTTH (Fiber to the Home) internet subscriptions, mobile broadband internet traffic, and international internet bandwidth. India also ranks third in domestic market scale and fourth in annual telecommunication investment.

In the lower-middle-income category, India is second only to Vietnam. The country has made impressive strides in digital progress, demonstrating strengths in technological innovation and digital transformation.

The improvement in India's NRI ranking is part of the ongoing advancements in the telecommunications sector. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has significantly bolstered the country's telecom infrastructure over the past decade. Teledensity has increased from 75.2% to 84.69%, and wireless connections have surged to 119 crore. Through the Digital India initiative, broadband access has expanded, particularly in rural areas, with internet subscribers growing from 25.1 crore to 94.4 crore. This has been accompanied by a marked increase in wireless internet usage.

The launch of 5G services in 2022 has also contributed to India's rise, boosting the country’s global mobile broadband speed ranking from 118th to 15th. Looking ahead, India is setting its sights on becoming a leader in next-generation telecom technologies with the Bharat 6G Vision, strengthening its commitment to emerging technologies, robust telecom infrastructure, and digital progress.

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