Scindia highlights 5G rollout and telecom export growth

Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia informed the Lok Sabha that 99.9 per cent of India’s districts now have access to 5G connectivity, which was launched in 2022.

Presenting details on the country’s telecom progress, Scindia said India’s telecom exports have grown by 72 per cent over the past five years, while imports have remained largely unchanged. He noted that exports rose from Rs 10,000 crore in 2020–21 to Rs 18,406 crore in 2024–25, while imports have stayed at around Rs 51,000 crore. According to the minister, this reflects increasing self-reliance in the telecom sector.

Responding to questions in the House, Scindia said the number of base transceiver stations (BTS) across the country has increased from 6,49,834 to 31,44,559. BTS infrastructure enables wireless communication between user devices and telecom networks.

5G rollout, connectivity and future technologies

Highlighting progress in 5G deployment, the minister said 767 out of 778 districts have already been connected to the 5G network. India currently has around 36 crore 5G users, a figure expected to rise to 42 crore by 2026 and reach 100 crore by 2030.

On overall connectivity, Scindia told Parliament that mobile coverage has expanded from 90.68 per cent in 2014 to 98.43 per cent as of October 2025, covering 6,34,019 villages nationwide. He added that 2.14 lakh Gram Panchayats have been made service-ready under the BharatNet project. He also noted that Bharat Telecom 2025 was attended by 135 foreign delegates from 31 countries, who explored potential partnerships and investment opportunities.

In-flight connectivity regulations

Addressing in-flight connectivity, the minister said the Ministry of Telecommunications has finalised the relevant regulations. He added that the Civil Aviation Ministry is expected to frame operational rules, after which airlines will be required to equip aircraft with transponders. His remarks came in response to a comment from DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran on the absence of mobile connectivity on flights.

SATCOM spectrum and licensing

On satellite communications (SATCOM), Scindia said global experience shows that satellite services are essential for connecting areas that cannot be reached through conventional BTS infrastructure, backhaul networks, or optical fibre broadband. He said India has taken steps to ensure nationwide availability of SATCOM services.

The minister added that spectrum for SATCOM will be allocated through administrative assignment and that the policy framework is already in place. He noted that three licences have been granted so far, to Starlink, OneWeb, and Reliance