India’s mobile data hunger has reached a new peak, with the average monthly consumption per user crossing the 31 GB mark in 2025. According to the 13th edition of the Nokia Mobile Broadband Index (MBiT) released this week, usage grew by 18% compared to the 27.5 GB recorded in 2024.
The report highlights that India now maintains the world’s second-largest 5G subscriber base and the second-highest level of 5G data consumption globally.
1. The 5G Takeover
The surge is primarily driven by the rapid expansion of 5G networks, which have moved from early adoption to a mainstream “engine of growth.”
- Traffic Surge: Pan-India monthly 5G data traffic jumped 70% year-on-year, reaching 12.9 exabytes (EB) in 2025.
- Network Share: 5G now contributes nearly 47% of India’s total mobile broadband traffic.
- Metro Dominance: In metro circles, 5G adoption is even higher, accounting for 58% of the total data consumed.
2. What’s Eating the Data?
The shift toward high-bandwidth activities and the emergence of the “AI Supercycle” are the primary catalysts for this 31 GB milestone.
| Category | Driver of Consumption |
| Entertainment | Shift to 4K video streaming and high-definition social media content. |
| Gaming | Rising popularity of cloud gaming, which requires consistent high-speed data. |
| Artificial Intelligence | Growing use of AI-led applications and immersive digital experiences. |
| Home Broadband | 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) user base doubled YoY, contributing over 25% of overall 5G data. |
3. The Device Ecosystem (2025)
The availability of affordable hardware has been critical in transitioning users from 4G to 5G.
- 5G Readiness: Of the 892 million active 4G devices in India, over 383 million are now 5G-capable.
- Smartphone Shipments: More than 90% of all smartphones shipped in 2025 were 5G-enabled.
- Budget 5G: Shipments of budget 5G phones (priced under $100/₹8,400) saw a massive 10-fold growth, democratizing high-speed access.
4. Future Outlook: The “1 Billion” Goal
Nokia’s MBiT Index projects that India’s digital evolution is only accelerating.
- 2031 Projection: India’s 5G subscriber base is expected to exceed 1 billion by 2031.
- Network Transformation: Telecom operators (Jio, Airtel, Vi) are pivoting from basic connectivity to building “intelligent, future-ready” infrastructure to handle the increasing uplink demands of AI and immersive tech.
“India’s mobile broadband landscape is entering a new phase of evolution, driven by rapid 5G adoption and the growing influence of AI-led applications,” stated Vibha Mehra, Country Manager Designate for India at Nokia.
