Department of Telecommunications releases draft for National Telecom Policy 2025, inviting public feedback
India's National Telecom Policy 2025 Aims to Transform the Country into a Global Telecom Technology Powerhouse
The Department of Telecom (DoT) has unveiled the draft National Telecom Policy 2025 (NTP-25), marking a significant step towards transforming India into a leading global player in the telecom technology sector. The comprehensive framework, aimed at achieving this vision by 2030, outlines six strategic missions: universal and meaningful connectivity, innovation, domestic manufacturing, secure and trusted telecom network, ease of living and ease of doing business, and sustainable telecommunications.
Investment and Economic Growth
NTP-25 plans to attract annual investments of around Rs 1 lakh crore (approximately USD 12 billion) into the telecom sector, stimulating economic growth and innovation. The policy also aims to double telecom exports and generate approximately 1 million new jobs in the telecom and digital technology sectors, while reskilling and upskilling about 1 million telecom workers to meet evolving digital economy demands.
Coverage and Connectivity Targets
The policy aims to achieve universal 4G coverage by 2030, ensuring that even rural and remote areas have access to 4G mobile services. Additionally, it plans to provide 5G coverage to 90% of the population by 2030, enabling widespread adoption of next-generation wireless technology. NTP-25 also seeks to expand fixed broadband connectivity to over 100 million households and deploy 1 million public Wi-Fi hotspots, extending fibre connectivity to 80% of mobile towers to ensure reliable, high-speed digital access across urban and rural areas.
Technology Leadership and Innovation
NTP-25 positions India among the top 10 global hubs for emerging telecom technologies, including 5G, 6G, artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), quantum communication, satellite networks, and blockchain. The policy promotes domestic manufacturing and reducing dependency on imports as part of a self-reliant ecosystem. It also encourages global collaboration on 6G research and other next-gen tech to stay at the forefront of telecom innovation.
Skill Development and Employment
The policy places a strong emphasis on human capital, with a major upskilling and reskilling drive targeting over one million workers, aligned with changing telecom technologies and digital needs. It also seeks to create new employment opportunities to support a rapidly growing telecom infrastructure and technology landscape.
Sustainability and Secure Infrastructure
NTP-25 is committed to a 30% reduction in telecom sector carbon emissions by 2030 and targets 30% of telecom towers to be powered by renewable energy, supporting eco-friendly and green telecom infrastructure. The policy also emphasizes network security as a core pillar to protect infrastructure and user data.
Inclusion and Accessibility
The policy aims to bridge the digital divide by expanding mobile and broadband networks in rural and underserved urban areas through initiatives like Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN). It also ensures that telecom acts as a force for social inclusion, governance, and environmental accountability.
The NTP-25 supports emerging use cases across smart cities, industry 4.0, rural broadband, emergency response, and digital governance. It also envisions India as the world's largest consumer of telecom services and a leading exporter of indigenous telecom technology under the "Bharat - a telecom product nation" banner.
The policy plans to back 500 telecom-tech start-ups and MSMEs, and it will focus on effective spectrum management for sustainable telecom development. The government has initiated "Mission 2030" in the telecom sector, and the policy targets to double the export of telecom products and services.
The public is invited to share their opinions on the policy within 21 days from the date the circular was issued. The NTP-25 represents a strategic commitment to leveraging telecom as a foundation for economic development, innovation, and social empowerment.
- To realize India's vision of becoming a global telecom technology powerhouse, the National Telecom Policy 2025 plans to attract investments in technology, fostering economic growth and innovation, and create approximately 1 million new jobs in the telecom and digital technology sectors, through reskilling and upskilling existing workers.
- In alignment with this ambitious plan, NTP-25 seeks to position India among the top 10 global hubs for emerging technologies like 5G, 6G, AI, IoT, quantum communication, satellite networks, and blockchain, promoting domestic manufacturing and encouraging global collaboration to stay at the forefront of technology and self-development.
