India Leads the World in 5G Rollout: TRAI Chairman Highlights Telecom Achievements

India has made significant strides in telecommunications, achieving the fastest global rollout of 5G services, according to TRAI Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti. With over 1.23 billion subscribers and nearly complete 4G coverage, the country is setting benchmarks in digital connectivity. The recent workshop organized by TRAI and ITU highlighted the importance of quality service and the need for enhanced indoor connectivity. Union Minister Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar and Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja emphasized the critical role of telecom in public safety and economic growth. This article delves into India's telecom advancements and future initiatives.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 5, 2025, 10:07 IST

India's Remarkable 5G Progress

Bhubaneswar: Anil Kumar Lahoti, the Chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), announced on Thursday that India has achieved the fastest global rollout of 5G services, bolstered by a subscriber base exceeding 1.23 billion and nearly complete 4G coverage at 99 percent.

Speaking at the opening session of a two-day workshop focused on Performance, Quality of Service (QoS), and Quality of Experience (QoE), organized by TRAI in partnership with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Lahoti emphasized the country's advancements in creating a digitally inclusive telecom environment. He pointed out that India is not only leading in 5G deployment but is also witnessing high levels of data consumption while keeping tariffs affordable, thus ensuring widespread digital access across various socio-economic groups.

Lahoti introduced TRAI's QoS Rating Framework for Buildings, aimed at improving transparency in service quality evaluations. He highlighted the increasing necessity for enhanced indoor connectivity, given that a significant portion of data usage occurs within buildings. He also called for enhanced multilateral cooperation and proposed the establishment of an ITU Regional Group for Asia to tackle issues like fraud prevention, cybersecurity, and network interoperability.

In a video address, Union Minister of State for Communications Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar reiterated India's commitment to providing reliable and high-quality connectivity. He acknowledged ongoing initiatives to improve service quality under the Telecommunications Act of 2023 and praised the collaborative efforts of TRAI and ITU in promoting global standards and best practices.

Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, in his special address, highlighted the crucial role of telecom services in public safety and disaster response. Drawing from Odisha's experiences with cyclones and tsunami alerts, he stressed that telecom services are essential for inclusive growth, economic development, and effective public service delivery. He noted that nearly all welfare systems today depend on connectivity, making robust QoS and QoE systems vital for timely alerts and resilient service provision.