According to the Network Readiness Index 2024 (NRI 2024) report, India has improved its position by 11 slots and is now placed at 49th rank, as against 60th rank scored in the NRI 2023 report. India has also improved its score from 49.93 in 2023 to 53.63 in 2024.
The report maps the network-based readiness landscape of 133 economies based on their performances in four different pillars: Technology, People, Governance, and Impact, covering a total of 54 variables.
As per the report, India secured 1st rank in ‘artificial intelligence (AI) scientific publications’, ‘AI talent concentration’ and ‘ICT services exports’; 2nd rank in ‘fibre-to-the-home (FTTH)/building Internet subscriptions’, ‘mobile broadband internet traffic within the country’ and ‘international internet bandwidth’; 3rd rank in ‘domestic market scale’; and 4th rank in ‘annual investment in telecommunication services.’ In addition, India has ranked 2nd in the group of lower-middle-income countries after Vietnam.
As per the report, India has demonstrated significant digital progress, with notable strengths in technological innovation and digital transformation.
India’s performance in NRI 2024 is latest in a string of advancements in the telecommunications sector. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has made significant strides in advancing India’s telecommunication infrastructure. Over the past decade, tele density increased from 75.2 per cent to 84.69 per cent, and wireless connections reached 1.19 billion. The Digital India has set an example by expanding broadband access to rural areas through partnerships with technology companies, resulting in the sharp rise in internet subscribers from 251 million to 941 million, with a substantial rise in wireless internet usage. Reforms in spectrum management, ease of doing business, and consumer protection have further strengthened the sector.
