New Delhi— A new nationwide survey conducted by the Ministry of Statistics reveals that 85.5% of Indian households now own at least one smartphone, highlighting the widespread penetration of mobile technology across the country.
The report, titled Results of Comprehensive Modular Survey: Telecom, 2025, also shows that around 86.3% of households have internet access within their premises. The findings underscore India’s rapidly growing digital landscape, especially among younger populations.
In rural areas, an estimated 96.8% of individuals aged 15–29 used mobile phones in the past three months for personal calls or internet access. In urban areas, that figure rises slightly to 97.6%.
Smartphone ownership is also remarkably high among this age group: about 95.5% in rural areas and 97.6% in urban centers. Additionally, the survey found that 97.1% of individuals aged 15–29 used a mobile phone or smartphone during the three months preceding the survey.
The report also highlighted digital literacy, with 85.1% of respondents in the 15–29 age group reporting that they had sent messages with attachments (such as documents, photos, or videos) using mobile or computing devices in the same time frame.
Notably, among those who reported being capable of conducting online banking transactions, 99.5% said they were able to do so using the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), reflecting the platform’s dominant role in digital financial services.
The survey, which excluded only a few remote villages in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands due to accessibility issues, was extensive in scope. A total of 4,382 first-stage units (FSUs) were surveyed—2,395 in rural areas and 1,987 in urban areas. In total, 34,950 households and 142,065 individuals were covered, with 82,573 from rural areas and 59,492 from urban areas. (Source: IANS)
