India’s transformation in telecom and digital connectivity monumental: Scindia

Source: Hindustan Times | Original Published At: 2026-08-22 02:48:00 UTC

Key Points

• India's Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Brazil's Communications Minister Frederico de Siqueira Filho signed a memorandum of understanding to deepen cooperation in telecommunications and ICTs.
• The MoU was signed on the sidelines of the 12th BRICS Communication Ministers meeting held in Pune.
• Scindia said India has 1.33 billion mobile subscribers, with internet penetration above 1 billion and broadband penetration reaching 1 billion.
• He said India's 5G rollout began in October 2022, covers all districts and 86% of the population, and has 500 million subscribers, with more than 1 billion expected by 2030-31.
• Scindia said UPI processed 242 billion digital transactions worth $3.2 trillion in 2025-26 and that 50% of the world's digital transactions take place in India.
• He outlined eight priorities for future BRICS ICT cooperation, including universal connectivity, resilient public infrastructure, trusted digital ecosystems, digital public infrastructure, AI and future network technologies, innovation and startups, and digital scaling.
• Scindia said India assumes the BRICS Chairship in 2026 with an ICT track theme focused on innovation, cooperation, and transformation for a resilient future.