China vs India: Mobile phone subscriptions
China
1.87 billion
in 2024
India
1.15 billion
in 2024
China rank
1st
India rank
2nd
Mobile phone subscriptions over time
- China
- India
How they compare
China currently reports 1.87 billion against 1.15 billion in India, a difference of 718.65 million.
That makes China's figure about 1.6 times India's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 45 shared years of data; in 1980 it was India ahead.
China ranks 1st and India ranks 2nd of 212 countries.
China has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | India | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1,373 | 0 | 1,373 | China |
| 1990s | 9.33 million | 436,620 | 8.90 million | China |
| 2000s | 383.11 million | 147.08 million | 236.03 million | China |
| 2010s | 1.30 billion | 996.64 million | 302.86 million | China |
| 2020s | 1.78 billion | 1.15 billion | 631.05 million | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher mobile phone subscriptions, China or India?
- China, at 1.87 billion against 1.15 billion in India as of 2024.
- What is the difference in mobile phone subscriptions between China and India?
- 718.65 million, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and India?
- 45 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2024.
- How do China and India rank globally for mobile phone subscriptions?
- China ranks 1st and India ranks 2nd of 212 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Mobile phone subscriptions. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.