BharatNet Connects 2.15 Lakh Gram Panchayats As India Expands Rural Digital Infrastructure

India’s large-scale digital infrastructure push has connected more than 2.15 lakh Gram Panchayats through the BharatNet programme, the government said on Sunday. The initiative is aimed at expanding broadband access and strengthening digital connectivity in rural areas.

According to an official statement, the nationwide deployment of optical fibre has increased significantly, rising from 19.35 lakh route kilometres in 2019 to 42.36 lakh route kilometres in 2025.

The expansion of digital infrastructure has also been supported by the rapid rollout of 5G services. As of December 2025, 5G connectivity covers 99.9 percent of districts across the country with more than 5.18 lakh base transceiver stations installed.

The government said these developments are part of broader efforts to strengthen digital public infrastructure and improve connectivity across urban as well as rural regions.

Public Wi-Fi Through PM-WANI

Under the Prime Minister Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) initiative, 4,09,111 Wi-Fi hotspots have been deployed as of February 2026. These hotspots are supported by 207 Public Data Office (PDO) Aggregators and 113 App Providers.

The programme aims to provide affordable, high-speed public internet access, particularly in rural and remote areas.

Cloud and data centre capacity in the country is also expanding rapidly to support digital governance and artificial intelligence-ready infrastructure. The government said India’s total data centre capacity currently stands at about 1,280 megawatts and is expected to grow four to five times by 2030.

Through MeghRaj, also known as the Government of India Cloud, more than 2,170 ministries and departments are hosting applications on secure and scalable cloud platforms.

Falling Data Costs And Rising Internet Use

The government highlighted that the cost of mobile data has dropped sharply from ₹269 per GB in 2014 to around ₹8–10 per GB during 2025–2026. Broadband subscriptions crossed the 100 crore mark in November 2025, a sixfold increase from 13.15 crore subscribers a decade earlier.

Under the National Supercomputing Mission, 38 supercomputers with a combined capacity of 44 Petaflops have been deployed across institutions nationwide. The infrastructure supports research and innovation in areas such as artificial intelligence, climate modelling, biotechnology, and advanced manufacturing.

The government added that digital public infrastructure systems including Aadhaar, Unified Payments Interface (UPI), and DigiLocker are enabling seamless services, strengthening financial inclusion, and expanding participation in India’s digital economy.

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