The Government seeks to build on existing efforts towards nationwide connectivity, while placing particular emphasis on innovation, sustainability and the use of emerging technologies
A new draft telecoms policy aims to outline a blueprint for India’s digital future
On 23 July 2025, India Department of Telecommunications (DoT) released a draft of the National Telecom Policy 2025 (NTP-25) for public consultation. According to the Government, the policy underlines its commitment to telecoms as a foundational pillar for economic development, social empowerment and innovation. Building on the achievements – while maintaining several of the ambitions – of the National Digital Communications Policy 2018, the NTP-25 seeks to respond to the emerging opportunities and challenges presented by 5G/6G, AI, IoT, satellite, blockchain and quantum computing, leveraging them to bridge the digital divide, foster inclusive growth and establish India as a global digital powerhouse. The draft policy lists a number of overarching objectives for the telecoms sector for 2030, including doubling its contribution to India’s GDP and reducing its carbon footprint by 30%, while also creating 1 million new jobs and delivering INR1tn (£8.6bn) of investment.
The NTP-25’s six strategic missions include a variety of goals, some of which already appear to have been achieved
In order to meet its objectives, the NTP-25 is anchored in six strategic missions, each of which is supported by a range of targeted goals and strategies:
Universal and meaningful connectivity: Promote the use of non-terrestrial networks (NTNs), increase the “fiberisation” of towers from 46% to 80% and achieve 100% 4G coverage and 90% 5G coverage. However, this 5G goal does not appear particularly ambitious given the Government has stated that 5G services are already available in 99.8% of all districts in India;
Fostering innovation: Establish India as top 10 global hub for R&D in emerging technologies and secure a 10% share of global 6G-related intellectual property rights;
Promoting domestic manufacturing: Increase domestic telecoms manufacturing output by 150% and reduce the import of “telecoms products” by 50%;
Ensuring secure and trusted networks: Enhance security measures for public institutions and telecoms operators, and create a biometric based identification for all telecoms customers;
Enhancing ease of living and doing business: Cut lead times for spectrum assignments by 50% and implement the Telecommunications Act 2023, which has been held up by delays to detailed rules from the DoT that will underpin specific provisions, including those enabling rights of way; and
Advancing sustainable development: Facilitate the development and adoption of energy-efficient networks by the telecoms industry, as well as its transition to renewable sources of energy.
Legal certainty and enforceability, public funding and state participation could influence whether the policy succeeds
Collectively, the missions, goals and strategies seek to deliver a number of outcomes, including affordable, high-quality connectivity for every citizen and institution, and a regulatory environment that simplifies processes and reduces compliance burdens. The DoT believes that the policy will enable India to become not only a leading consumer of digital technologies, but also as a trusted (and self-reliant) provider of telecoms products and services to the international market. While the Government recognises that the NTP-25 sets “a bold and inclusive trajectory”, stakeholders have already cautioned that legal certainty and enforceability, public funding and the participation of individual states will be among the factors that will be vital to its effective implementation. Interested parties have just 21 days (until 13 August) to provide input.
