India has witnessed one of the fastest 5G roll-outs globally. Since its launch in October 2022, 5G has been deployed across all states and union territories and is currently available in 773 out of 776 districts. The 5G infrastructure has also expanded rapidly, with the country now hosting over 0.46 million 5G base transceiver stations. Moreover, as of end March 2025, India’s 5G subscriber base has grown significantly to over 250 million.
The roll-out was initiated by Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited and Bharti Airtel. More recently, Vodafone Idea Limited introduced its 5G services in Mumbai, with expansion under way in other major cities including Delhi, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Patna and Mysore. Meanwhile, following a recent Rs 610 billion fund infusion from the government, state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited is gearing up to deploy its 5G services across India. It has started piloting 5G in locations such as New Delhi and plans to utilise premium 700 MHz and mid-band 3300 MHz spectrum.
However, despite the rapid deployment, monetising 5G services remains a significant challenge for operators. The adoption of 5G has also increased cybersecurity concerns. Additionally, private 5G networks, which were expected to be a key use case for 5G, have struggled to gain traction due to strong opposition from telecom operators. Nevertheless, the industry continues to accelerate 5G deployment, while the government is making efforts to take an early lead in adopting the next generation of wireless networks – 6G. Together, these advanced communication technologies are paving the way for the development of a multitude of innovative use cases beyond traditional voice calls and data services, and are expected to drive India’s digital economy.
Key enablers of 5G adoption in India
The adoption of 5G in India is being driven by the increased availability of affordable 5G-enabled smartphones, low tariffs, the adoption of next-generation technologies and a rapidly evolving digital ecosystem. The major operators Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel have been offering 5G services at no extra cost and have only recently revised their tariff structure upwards. The availability of budget-friendly 5G smartphones has further fuelled adoption, with handset manufacturers offering devices with advanced capabilities at increasingly affordable price points.
Another key driver is the growing adoption of next-generation technologies such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence and internet of things (IoT), all of which require high speed, low-latency networks. For instance, 5G-powered IoT sensors are being used to detect equipment anomalies, facilitating predictive maintenance and reducing downtime. Furthermore, 5G is playing an integral role in the development of smart cities, with applications in traffic management, energy distribution and public safety. The adoption of cloud-based applications in sectors such as healthcare, education and retail is also driving enterprises and institutions to embrace 5G connectivity for more efficient and scalable operations.
Moreover, the introduction of fixed wireless access (FWA) using 5G is seen as a viable solution for broadband penetration in underserved regions, offering an alternative to traditional wired connections. Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel have launched FWA services, Jio AirFiber and Xstream AirFiber, respectively, in major cities, providing high speed internet without fibre optic infrastructure. This approach is particularly beneficial in areas where laying fibre cables is challenging, offering an effective solution for last-mile connectivity. Additionally, the growing need for reliable, high-capacity connectivity to support hybrid work models, streaming content and smart home solutions is accelerating 5G uptake.
Private 5G networks gain limited traction
Once considered a major use case for 5G, private networks have struggled to gain traction. A private 5G network allows its owner to grant exclusive access to specific authorised individuals and devices. Through such private networks, organisations can ensure that only authorised personnel within their office premises have access, thereby providing control and security. This set-up offers several potential benefits to enterprises. For one, companies can guarantee faster speeds and better coverage for their employees as the data traffic is not shared with other cellular networks in the vicinity. Two, by design, private networks are inherently more secure than those based on Wi-Fi and other network topologies, making them better equipped to guard against cyberattacks.
However, despite the widespread availability of 5G services in India for over two years, enterprise adoption of private networks remains limited. This is largely due to unclear policy frameworks, a lack of compelling IoT use cases, and the adequacy of existing 4G and Wi-Fi networks. Moreover, telecom service providers have opposed the direct allocation of spectrum to enterprises for establishing private 5G networks. They argue that such captive set-ups are unnecessary in India, which already has robust public telecom infrastructure. According to them, private networks are more relevant in countries with low population density and inadequate public coverage. Technology firms and large enterprises argue that this resistance stems from operators’ fear of losing revenue from the lucrative private 5G segment. They maintain that direct spectrum allocation without auctions, along with a separate authorisation framework, is essential for industries with specific requirements around data security, latency and operational autonomy. Moreover, according to several enterprises, relying on telecom operators increases costs, raises concerns about sharing sensitive business data and limits the ability to tailor networks to their unique industrial needs.
Major roadblocks to 5G growth
While the industry has made rapid strides in rolling out 5G services, several challenges threaten to hinder the full realisation of its potential. Key among these is the substantial financial investment required for a full-scale nationwide 5G deployment. A recent report estimates that the telecom industry will need between Rs 921 billion and Rs 1,411 billion by 2027 to build the necessary infrastructure, including fibre deployment and small cells. However, with the industry already burdened by a debt of around Rs 6 trillion and facing an increasing regulatory financial load, securing such investment remains a formidable challenge. The issue of right of way also continues to delay infrastructure roll-out, as local authorities are often slow to implement central guidelines.
The monetisation of 5G services presents another major hurdle. Operators currently offer unlimited 5G services at extremely low tariffs and have struggled to introduce differentiated pricing models. Additionally, regulatory imbalances in content distribution further complicate efforts to generate revenue from 5G-based applications.
The adoption of 5G has also increased cybersecurity concerns. The 5G architecture involves significantly more traffic routing points than previous generations, increasing the network’s complexity. Ensuring the security of each of these points is essential as a single weak link can compromise the entire system. Moreover, most telecom operators in India have launched 5G networks using existing long term evolution (LTE) cores. This non-standalone approach inherits LTE vulnerabilities, including susceptibility to denial-of-service attacks. The transition to software-defined networking and network function virtualisation introduces additional risks, as these technologies rely heavily on widely used HTTP and REST protocols, making them more accessible to cyberattacks. 5G’s reliance on cloud computing, IoT and a wide range of devices with varying security standards poses additional security challenges.
Gearing up for 6G
As India continues to expand its 5G network, the government is laying the groundwork to take an early lead in 6G technology. Expected to launch in the early 2030s, 6G will build upon the foundation established by 5G, enabling transformative applications that merge the digital and physical worlds. Research in 6G use cases is already under way, with potential applications such as immersive telepresence through the internet of senses, enhanced human-machine interaction, widespread mixed reality in public transport, precision healthcare, smart agriculture and autonomous supply chains. India is also positioning itself at the forefront of 6G innovation. The country has secured over 200 patents, is actively involved in international standard-setting forums such as the International Telecommunication Union, and has formed specialised innovation groups and task forces. The government has also released a “6G Vision Document”, detailing its strategic road map for leadership in 6G development.
Both 5G and 6G mark a departure from legacy networks, moving beyond traditional voice and data services to low-latency, high-bandwidth applications. However, the lack of compelling 5G use cases that fully leverage its capabilities continues to hamper monetisation. Many users still on 2G, 3G and 4G are reluctant to upgrade due to perceived limited benefits. To ensure the long-term success of 5G and 6G, India must prioritise the development of commercially viable applications through cross-sector innovation and robust R&D, creating an ecosystem that supports integration and sustainable adoption of next-generation technologies.
