India Surges 11 Spots to Join Top 50 in Network Readiness
India rose 11 places in the latest 'Network Readiness Index 2024' (NRI 2024) rankings and now stands at the 49th rank in the world, the government announced.
The country didn't only rise in the ranking but also its score from 49.93 in 2023 to 53.63 in 2024, based on the index published by Portulans Institute, which is an independent nonprofit research and educational institute based in Washington, D.C.
India has emerged dominant in many metrics such as AI, FTTH Internet Subscriptions and Mobile Broadband Internet Traffic, etc., ministry of communications states.
India ranked first in 'AI scientific publications', 'AI talent concentration', and 'ICT services exports'. It ranked second in 'FTTH/Building Internet subscriptions', 'Mobile broadband internet traffic within the country' and 'International Internet bandwidth'. It ranked third in 'Domestic market scale' and fourth rank in annual investment in telecommunication services.
In the latest version, the report maps the network-based readiness landscape of 133 economies based on their performances in four different pillars -- technology, people, governance and impact, covering a total of 54 variables.
According to the report, India has shown considerable digital progress, with marked strengths in technological innovation and digital transformation.
India's performance in NRI 2024 is the latest in a series of advancements in the telecommunications sector.
Department of Telecommunications has made major leaps forward in developing India's telecommunication infrastructure.
During the last decade, the tele-density increased from 75.2 percent to 84.69 percent and the number of wireless connections reached 119 crore.
'Digital India' has set an example by increasing broadband access to rural areas through partnerships with technology companies, which has led to the sharp rise in internet subscribers from 25.1 crore to 94.4 crore, with a substantial rise in wireless Internet usage.
In addition, India launched 5G services in 2022, rapidly improving its global mobile broadband speed ranking from 118 to 15.
The 'Bharat 6G Vision' now aims to position it as a leader in future telecom technologies.
