According to CLSA, a rapid increase in 5G smartphone adoption is significantly boosting data consumption in India, as users shift to faster networks and higher data usage patterns. India’s smartphone shipments grew marginally by 0.5 per cent year-on-year (YoY) to 151 million units in 2025, while 5G smartphone shipments rose 14 per cent YoY to 137 million units. This has taken the country’s total 5G installed base to around 415 million, which is projected to reach 750 million by March 2028, despite expectations of an overall market slowdown due to rising component costs.
The company said that 5G devices accounted for 90 per cent of total smartphone shipments in 2025, up from 85 per cent in the previous year, driven largely by strong growth in the sub-Rs 10,000 segment, where shipments surged nearly 1900 per cent YoY as telecom operators expanded 5G coverage.
