Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in India
India: Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people was 79.35 per 100 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
79.35 per 100 people
Change on year
down 1.5%
World rank
167th
of 212 countries
All-time high
85.97 per 100 people
in 2017
All-time low
0 per 100 people
in 1980
Years of data
45
1980–2024
Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in India, 1980–2024
Source: International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per 100 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in India is 79.35 per 100 people, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 1.5% on the previous year and up 10.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in India peaked at 85.97 per 100 people in 2017 and was at its lowest, 0 per 100 people, in 1980.
India ranks 167th of 212 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in India, year by year
| Year | per 100 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1981 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1982 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1983 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1984 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1985 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1986 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1987 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1988 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1989 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1990 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1991 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1992 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1993 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1994 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1995 | 0.008 per 100 people | — |
| 1996 | 0.0334 per 100 people | +319.4% |
| 1997 | 0.088 per 100 people | +163.8% |
| 1998 | 0.117 per 100 people | +33.0% |
| 1999 | 0.1811 per 100 people | +54.7% |
| 2000 | 0.3381 per 100 people | +86.7% |
| 2001 | 0.6067 per 100 people | +79.4% |
| 2002 | 1.18 per 100 people | +95.2% |
| 2003 | 3.02 per 100 people | +154.7% |
| 2004 | 4.6 per 100 people | +52.4% |
| 2005 | 7.81 per 100 people | +69.8% |
| 2006 | 14.16 per 100 people | +81.4% |
| 2007 | 19.62 per 100 people | +38.6% |
| 2008 | 28.72 per 100 people | +46.4% |
| 2009 | 42.85 per 100 people | +49.2% |
| 2010 | 60.49 per 100 people | +41.2% |
| 2011 | 70.87 per 100 people | +17.2% |
| 2012 | 67.63 per 100 people | -4.6% |
| 2013 | 68.4 per 100 people | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 71.94 per 100 people | +5.2% |
| 2015 | 75.38 per 100 people | +4.8% |
| 2016 | 83.92 per 100 people | +11.3% |
| 2017 | 85.97 per 100 people | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 85.55 per 100 people | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 82.9 per 100 people | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 82.25 per 100 people | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 81.6 per 100 people | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 80.18 per 100 people | -1.7% |
| 2023 | 80.56 per 100 people | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 79.35 per 100 people | -1.5% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 79.35 per 100 people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 97.13 per 100 people, 82% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- India's 79.35 per 100 people is below the median for South Asia, which is 103.96 per 100 people, 76% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0427 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0.1811 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.29 per 100 people | 0.3381 per 100 people | 42.85 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 75.3 per 100 people | 60.49 per 100 people | 85.97 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 80.79 per 100 people | 79.35 per 100 people | 82.25 per 100 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near India
More science & technology data for India
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 79.35 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 0.7935 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 1.15 billion (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 389.67 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate -1.5 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate -0.6206 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 228,174 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0002 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in India?
- Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in India was 79.35 per 100 people in 2024, according to International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 85.97 per 100 people in 2017.
- What is the lowest mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 per 100 people in 1980.
- How does India rank for mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people?
- India ranks 167th out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
- Is mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
This number can get over 100 when the average person has more than one subscription to a mobile service.