India’s wireless mobile subscribers base crosses 1.265 billion in March: TRAI
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has reported that India’s telecommunications sector has added 9.28 million subscribers in March 2026.
New Delhi: Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has reported that India’s telecommunications sector has added 9.28 million subscribers in March 2026. That means the total number of telephone users in the country has risen by 1,330.58 million, reflecting a monthly growth rate of 0.70 per cent.
India has registered a substantial growth in the number of wireless mobile subscribers at the end of March. According to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the number of wireless mobile subscribers increased from 1.257 billion at the end of February to 1.265 billion at the end of March.
The country’s top two telecom operators Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd. gained the most of the additions of the mobile users, as per the data released by TRAI.
Bharti Airtel emerged at the top with the addition of 5.09 million new subscribers and Reliance Jio is in the second place with 3.22 million new wireless subscribers.
TRAI revealed that Airtel currently has 477.74 million wireless subscribers. Meanwhile, despite getting lesser new subscriber than Jio has retained it’s spot as the top telecom service provider with 496.33 million user base.
However, the other two telcos – Vodafone Idea (Vi) and state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) continue to remain far behind the two giants.
According to the telecom regulator’s data, Vi’s subscriber base increased by 0.102 million to 198.48 million. For the third-largest private telco, it was the second consecutive month of net additions, after its subscriber base grew by 21,927 in February.
BSNL, though, only added 17,095 subscribers, with its user base remaining largely unchanged at 92.9 million. Though, the numbers did not change much, the public sector telecom operator has seen a positive change as it lost nearly 0.101 million subscribers in February.
In terms of visitor location register (VLR) – or active subscribers, Jio led the list with 489.49 million users, followed by Airtel with 474.12 million, Vi comes in third place with 169.30 million, and BSNL with 52.38 million.
The broadband sector (both wired and wireless connections) has also witnessed a significant growth with the total subscriber base reaching to 1,065.88 million. This segment registered addition of 6.83 million users over the previous month.
Reliance Jio continued to lead the broadband market with 523.44 million subscribers, followed by Bharti Airtel Ltd. with 368.84 million and Vodafone Idea Ltd. with 128.91 million.
As per the Geographical data, out of the total subscribers the urban areas amounted for 778.79 million, while rural areas reached 551.79 million.
