India: on the road to a digital nation

India is one of the largest and fastest-growing digital economies in the world, with more than half a billion internet subscribers and an array of digital services for consumers and businesses.

In 2015, the Indian government introduced the Digital India programme aimed at transforming the country into a digital society and economy. The Covid-19 pandemic has underscored the critical role of connectivity, leading to a renewed focus on these efforts by policymakers and encouraging them to take supportive measures and accelerate the rollout of 5G – a key enabler of a digital nation.

This report highlights how mobile is at the heart of the Digital India programme and assesses the 5G opportunity ahead for the country (including a review of recent spectrum auctions). The research examines how the country is developing the components of a digital nation and ensuring the sustainable growth of the mobile industry.