India's Telecom Sector Witnesses Uneven Growth in Subscriber Base

India reported significant growth in its wireless subscriber base in December 2025, as Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel added millions of subscribers. In contrast, Vodafone Idea and BSNL faced declines. The overall telephone base grew to 1,306 billion, with mobile broadband leading the way in subscriber additions.

India's telecommunication sector saw varied developments in December 2025, with Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel leading subscriber gains, marking significant wins among operators. The data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) indicated that Bharti Airtel added 5.42 million new connections, while Reliance Jio welcomed approximately 2.96 million subscribers during the month.

The success of the two telecom giants was widespread across various licensed service regions. However, Vodafone Idea continued to struggle, reporting a net loss of about 940,000 wireless subscribers in December, confirming a continuing decline. Similarly, state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) experienced a contraction in its wireless subscriber base, with a loss of around 206,000 users.

Despite challenges faced by certain operators, the total wireless subscriber base in the country rose by 7.23 million in December. Notably, the overall telephone subscriber base, comprising both wireless and wireline, climbed to 1,306 billion, supported by a 0.66 per cent monthly growth rate. The data highlights the dominance of the wireless segment, now standing at 1.258 billion users, while fixed wireless access saw a 5.59 per cent rise in 5G users.