Network Readiness Index 2024

  • 02 Dec 2024

In News:

  • India has climbed 11 positions to secure 49th rank in the Network Readiness Index (NRI) 2024, compared to 60th in NRI 2023.
  • This improvement reflects India’s significant progress in the digital and telecommunication sectors.

NRI 2024 Overview:

  • The NRI 2024 report assesses the network readiness of 133 economies based on four pillars: Technology, People, Governance, and Impact, using 54 variables.
  • Published by the Portulans Institute, Washington DC.

India's Leading Indicators:

  • Top rankings:
    • 1st Rank: ‘AI scientific publications’, ‘AI talent concentration’, and ‘ICT services exports’.
    • 2nd Rank: ‘FTTH/Building Internet subscriptions’, ‘Mobile broadband internet traffic’, and ‘International Internet bandwidth’.
    • 3rd Rank: ‘Domestic market scale’.
    • 4th Rank: ‘Annual investment in telecommunication services’.

Digital Progress:

  • India has demonstrated remarkable digital transformation, especially in technological innovation and digital infrastructure.

Economic Grouping:

  • India ranks 2nd in the lower-middle-income countries group, following Vietnam.

Telecommunication Achievements:

  • Tele-density has increased from 75.2% to 84.69% in the past decade, with 119 crore wireless connections.
  • Internet subscribers have surged from 25.1 crore to 94.4 crore, aided by Digital India initiatives and rural broadband expansion.
  • 5G Launch: In 2022, India launched 5G services, significantly boosting global mobile broadband speed rankings from 118th to 15th.

Future Vision:

  • India’s Bharat 6G Vision aims to position the country as a leader in future telecom technologies, backed by strong infrastructure and investments in emerging technologies.

Telecom Reforms:

  • Spectrum management, ease of doing business, and consumer protection reforms have strengthened India’s telecom sector, contributing to its improved network readiness ranking.