5G Reaches 99.9% of Districts as India Installs 5.23 Lakh Base Stations: Govt

Government pushes indigenous telecom ecosystem and accelerates preparations for 6G technologies

New Delhi: India’s 5G rollout has reached 99.9% of districts across all states and union territories, with 5.23 lakh 5G base transceiver stations (BTSs) installed nationwide as of February 28, 2026, the government informed Parliament.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, Minister of State for Communications Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar said the department of telecommunications has undertaken multiple initiatives to accelerate the adoption of 5G use cases across sectors such as telemedicine, precision agriculture, smart manufacturing and education.

The government is also focusing on building an indigenous telecom technology ecosystem while preparing for next-generation networks including 6G.

A major initiative in this direction is the Indigenous 5G Test Bed, developed with a government grant of ₹224 crore approved in 2018. The project involved collaboration among leading institutions including IIT Madras, IIT Delhi, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Bombay, IIT Kanpur, IISc Bengaluru, SAMEER and CEWiT Chennai. The test bed was dedicated to the nation in May 2022.

To support innovation and practical applications, the government has also established 100 5G laboratories across the country with an investment of ₹97.67 crore. These labs are developing use cases in sectors including agriculture, healthcare, power, logistics, mining, urban management, tourism and e-governance.

Looking ahead to future telecom technologies, India has launched the Bharat 6G Vision, which aims to position the country as a global leader in the design, development and deployment of 6G technology by 2030. The department of telecommunications has facilitated the creation of the Bharat 6G Alliance, bringing together industry, academia and research institutions to drive innovation and global collaboration in next-generation wireless technologies.

The government is also supporting research through the Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF) launched in October 2022 under the Digital Bharat Nidhi. As of February 2026, 136 research and development projects have been approved under the scheme.

Most of these projects focus on emerging telecom technologies. A total of 104 projects are related to 6G research, covering areas such as terahertz test beds, cell-free access points, AI-driven network systems and advanced hardware development. Another 11 projects focus on 5G technologies, including millimeter-wave amplifiers, integrated transceivers and indigenous 5G core development.

The initiatives are aimed at strengthening India’s telecom innovation ecosystem while accelerating the transition to advanced digital infrastructure for the country’s next phase of connectivity and economic growth.