India is set to reach 1.2 billion smartphone connections by 2030, with around half of those being 5G smartphones, according to a recent report by GSMA. The country is expected to have over 641 million 5G subscribers, growing at a remarkable rate of 49%.
GSMA Intelligence forecasts a substantial increase in 5G mobile subscribers and data usage over the next six years. This surge will prompt Indian telecom companies to invest heavily in infrastructure. Data consumption per subscriber is projected to rise at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15% from 2023 to 2029, reaching an average of 68 GB per month.
In the Asia-Pacific region, India and Indonesia are positioned to harness digitalization for economic growth, job creation, and innovation. The latest "GSMA Mobile Economy Asia Pacific 2024 Report" notes that India will lead in smartphone connections, while Indonesia is expected to reach 387 million by 2030.
Mobile technologies contributed 5.3% of GDP in the APAC region in 2023, amounting to $880 billion in economic value and supporting around 13 million jobs. Mats Granryd, Director General of GSMA, emphasized that both India and Indonesia are key players in driving digital and economic growth in the region.
Additionally, the availability of spectrum for 5G could add about $27 billion to India’s GDP by 2030. GSMA highlights the importance of including the upper 6 GHz band in the country's spectrum roadmap, as the rollout of 5G is a critical driver of data usage growth.