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Tele-density has climbed to 86.76% and 5G now reaches nearly every district, but the Economic Survey 2025–26 says India’s infrastructure story is no longer just about roads and rails- it’s about data centres, tap water, satellites and future-ready systems.
India’s digital infrastructure expands as 5G nears universal reach
New Delhi: India’s infrastructure narrative is undergoing a fundamental shift from highways and ports to digital public infrastructure, clean energy, resilient water systems and future-ready technologies according to the Economic Survey 2025-26 tabled in Parliament on Wednesday by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
India’s telecom sector has witnessed a transformative decade, narrowing the digital divide between rural and urban areas. Tele-density has increased from 75.23 per cent to 86.76 per cent, reflecting wider access to communication services across the country.
The Survey noted that 5G services are now available in 99.9 per cent of districts, marking a major leap in high-speed connectivity. Declining wireless data prices have driven exponential growth in average monthly data consumption, highlighting affordability as a key driver of mass digital adoption.
The government’s telecom vision is anchored around four pillars Samaveshit (inclusive connectivity), Viksit (development-led reforms), Tvarit (speed and efficiency), and Surakshit (secure networks).
India’s expanding digital governance and technology ecosystem is supported by a growing IT infrastructure. As of June 2025, the country’s installed data centre capacity stood at around 1,280 MW, with 130 private data centres and 49 government-operated facilities across central and state levels.
Driven by rapid digitisation and adoption of technologies such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, IoT and 5G, data centre capacity is projected to expand to nearly 4 GW by 2030, according to the Survey.
Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, India has achieved a significant milestone, with over 81 per cent of rural households having access to clean tap water as of October 2025.
The Survey also highlighted key water resource initiatives, including the Namami Gange Programme, C-Flood platform, National Register of Specified Dams 2025, and the River Cities Alliance Action Plan 2025, aimed at improving water security and resilience.
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The government has restructured the Swadesh Darshan scheme into Swadesh Darshan 2.0, focusing on sustainable and responsible tourism destinations. Meanwhile, the PRASHAD scheme continues to support integrated development of major pilgrimage and heritage sites.
India’s space infrastructure recorded a landmark achievement in 2025, with the country becoming the fourth nation globally to achieve autonomous satellite docking capability (SpaDeX).
India currently operates 56 active space assets, and the successful launch of GSLV-F15 carrying the NVS-02 satellite marked the 100th lift-off from Sriharikota, underscoring the growing maturity of India’s space ecosystem.
