New Delhi: India has significantly improved its global standing in network readiness, climbing eleven places to reach 49th position in the Network Readiness Index 2024 (NRI 2024) report, released on November 21st, 2024. The report, published by the Portulans Institute, an independent non-profit research organization based in Washington DC, assesses 133 economies based on their performance across four key pillars: Technology, People, Governance, and Impact, encompassing a total of 54 variables, a PIB press release stated.
India achieved a notable improvement in its score, rising from 49.93 in 2023 to 53.63 in 2024. The report highlights India’s leadership in several indicators, securing the top rank in ‘AI scientific publications,’ ‘AI talent concentration,’ and ‘ICT services exports,’ and second place in ‘FTTH/Building Internet subscriptions,’ ‘Mobile broadband internet traffic within the country,’ and ‘International Internet bandwidth.’
The country also ranked third in ‘Domestic market scale’ and fourth in ‘annual investment in telecommunication services.’ Among lower-middle-income countries, India secured the second position, trailing behind Vietnam. The NRI 2024 report recognizes India’s significant digital progress, particularly its strengths in technological innovation and digital transformation.
This improvement in the NRI ranking comes amidst a series of advancements in India’s telecommunications sector. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has played a crucial role in expanding the nation’s telecommunication infrastructure, leading to a significant increase in tele density from 75.2% to 84.69% over the past decade. This growth was accompanied by a substantial increase in wireless connections, reaching 119 crore. The Digital India initiative has also been instrumental in broadening broadband access to rural areas, resulting in a surge in internet subscribers from 25.1 crore to 94.4 crore.
Furthermore, India’s launch of 5G services in 2022 has catapulted its global mobile broadband speed ranking from 118th to 15th. The nation’s aspirations to lead in future telecom technologies, with initiatives like the Bharat 6G Vision, coupled with investments in emerging technologies, robust data capabilities, and a strong telecom infrastructure, all contribute to India’s impressive performance in the Network Readiness Index 2024.