India set to dominate 6G as digital connectivity reaches 1 billion users

India’s broadband footprint has expanded dramatically, soaring from six crore subscribers a decade ago to an estimated one hundred crore today, Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Sindhia declared on Thursday at the India Mobile Congress 2026. The expansion, he said, represents a “historical transformation” in the nation’s digital landscape and fuels ambitions to steer global 6G standards.

Sindhia pointed out that India now ranks among the world’s most affordable mobile‑data markets, with the average price of a 1 GB data pack around eight rupees. The twin forces of cheaper data and rising usage, he explained, have empowered millions to connect, create and innovate across the country.

He emphasized that digital connectivity has become the leading driver of social and economic change, and warned that the country’s aim is to evolve from merely adopting international norms to shaping them. “We lagged behind in 4G, we are on level with the world in 5G, and we will lead the world in 6G,” he asserted.

Attributing the rapid progress to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2014 vision of a “connected, design‑led and technology‑forward” India, Sindhia said the achievements would have taken many other nations far longer to realise.

The remarks came as India Mobile Congress 2026, the flagship telecom event organized jointly by the Department of Telecommunications and the Cellular Operators Association of India, commenced on October 7 at Yashobhoomi, Delhi, and will run through October 10.