Broadband users crossed one billion by 2025: Pemmasani

Guntur: Union Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development Dr Pemmasani Chandrasekhar, stated that digital connectivity forms the core infrastructure for building an AI-driven India. Addressing a meeting on AI Impact Summit-2026, held in Delhi on Tuesday, he said that broadband users in India have grown from 60 million in 2014 to over 1 billion by 2025, reflecting the country’s rapid digital transformation. He noted that data generated by more than 1.2 billion users is serving as a strong foundation for the growth of Artificial Intelligence in the country.

He emphasised that rapid 5G rollout, over 70 percent tower fiberization, and flagship projects like BharatNet are strengthening the nation’s digital infrastructure. India’s teledensity has crossed 85 percent, with average monthly data consumption reaching 24GB per user. More than 4.2 million kilometres of optical fiber have been laid to meet future AI and digital demands.

He stated that India’s data centre capacity is growing at an annual rate of 20 per cent. He pointed to the proposed AI data centre by Google in Visakhapatnam as a testament to growing global confidence in India’s digital ecosystem. He added that AI is opening new opportunities for startups, especially in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.