India's telecom subscriber base rose marginally to 134.8 crore in June 2026, according to the latest data from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). The total telephone subscribers increased from 1,343.1 million at the end of May 2026 to 1,348.08 million at the end of June 2026, showing a monthly growth rate of 0.37 per cent. The total wireless connections also increased to 130 crore from 129.4 crore in May, comprising 114.7 crore consumer SIM cards, 13.47 crore M2M SIM cards, and 1.78 crore fixed wireless access connections. The overall tele-density in India increased from 94.02% at the end of May 2026 to 94.31% at the end of June 2026, with urban tele-density rising from 152.80% to 153.43% and rural tele-density improving from 60.83% to 60.89% during the same period.
Bharti Airtel led subscriber growth during the month, adding 31.63 lakh users compared with May, according to TRAI's latest data. The additions included 29.89 lakh mobile subscribers and 1.73 lakh fixed-line connections. Reliance Jio followed with a net addition of 22.91 lakh subscribers, comprising 21.46 lakh in mobile segment and 1.44 lakh in fixed line segment. Together, the two private telecom operators accounted for 54.54 lakh, or about 87 per cent, of the total net addition of 62 lakh subscribers in June. The wireless (mobile) tele-density in India increased from 89.39% at the end of May 2026 to 89.71% at the end of June 2026.
Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia announced that 5G has now reached 50 crore people in India, representing the size of Europe's entire population. Speaking at a review of the Bharat 6G Alliance progress, Scindia stated that up to 100 crore people will be connected to 5G technology in India by 2030. The minister emphasized that India will "lead the world on 6G" and highlighted the country's participation in standard setting frameworks of ITU and 3GPP. India is also establishing the very first Telecom Manufacturing Zone (TMZ) in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, which will create a telecom and data centre ecosystem. Scindia noted that after 65 years, India has a Prime Minister who can look at the future of the world and make it happen in India.
The wireless subscriber base increased from 1,294.46 million at the end of May 2026 to 1,300.25 million at the end of June 2026, registering a monthly growth rate of 0.45%. Wireless subscriptions in urban areas grew from 744.36 million to 749.39 million, while rural wireless subscriptions increased from 550.11 million to 550.86 million. The urban wireless tele-density increased from 74.43% to 74.93%, and rural wireless tele-density remained stable at 54.29% during the same period. The total wireless (mobile) subscribers increased from 1,277 million at the end of May 2026 to 1,282.38 million at the end of June 2026, with urban mobile subscriptions rising from 734.63 million to 739.43 million and rural mobile subscriptions growing from 542.36 million to 542.95 million.
The Bharat 6G Alliance (B6GA), reviewed by Minister Scindia along with Minister of State Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani and Secretary Amit Agrawal, functions through seven specialized Working Groups covering spectrum, device technology and manufacturing ecosystem, technology, applications, green and sustainability, outreach, and 6G use cases and revenue streams. The alliance's member organizations collectively hold more than 7,700 patent filings related to 5G and 6G technologies, including 4,400-plus foreign filings, reflecting the growing strength of India's research and innovation ecosystem. Scindia noted that there has been a 97% drop in mobile internet rates in the last 10 years, highlighting the significant improvement in telecom affordability.
