DIGITIMES observes that India, now the world's most populous country with 1.4 billion people, has a fixed network penetration rate of only 14%, underscoring its enormous market potential. India's fixed network market is reaching a critical turning point. The country is set to become the world's second-largest fiber-optic broadband market, with total users expected to surpass 100 million.
The competitive landscape in India's fiber broadband market has also become increasingly clear. Reliance Jio leads with a 38% market share, followed closely by Bharti Airtel, which added 812,000 home broadband users in the second quarter of 2025.
Both operators are pursuing a dual-track strategy using fiber optics and 5G fixed wireless access to capture revenue opportunities, and their average revenue per user (ARPU) for fixed network services is two to three times higher than that of mobile services.
India low fixed network penetration signals strong growth potential
Chart 1: India fixed network users numbers by major carriers, 2Q24-2Q25 (m units)
Fixed networks drive revenue growth despite structural fiber challenges
BharatNet progressed, but last-mile and geographic challenges remain
Chart 3: India rural fiber connections and readiness, 2018-2024 (units)
India sees nearly 100m users, while 5G FWA competition intensifies
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Chart 4: India major manufacturing policies and their main contents
Space industry transformation: policy liberalization unlocks commercial potential
Chart 5: India space industry scale by major application, 2022-2033 (US$b)
