BharatNet connects 2.15L panchayats; 4.09L hotspots

India’s massive push to expand optical fibre, 5G and digital public infrastructure has connected more than 2.15 lakh Gram Panchayats through BharatNet, the government said on Sunday.

Optical fibre deployment nationwide rose from 19.35 lakh route kilometres in 2019 to 42.36 lakh route kilometres in 2025, and 5G connectivity now covers 99.9 per cent of districts with over 5.18 lakh base transceiver stations as of December 2025, an official statement said.

Prime Minister Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM WANI) has deployed 4,09,111 Wi Fi hotspots supported by 207 PDO Aggregators and 113 App Providers as of February 2026, to provide affordable, high-speed public internet connectivity, particularly in rural and remote areas.

"Integrating last-mile access, literacy programmes, and affordable internet with platforms connecting markets and social schemes strengthens rural livelihoods, ensures timely benefit delivery, and fosters inclusive participation in India’s digital economy," it said.

Cloud and data centre capacity is also expanding rapidly to support digital governance and AI-ready infrastructure. With a total data centre capacity at about 1,280 megawatts, it is projected to grow four to five times by 2030, the government forecasted.

Through MeghRaj (GI Cloud), over 2,170 ministries and departments are hosting applications on secure, scalable government cloud platforms. The government highlighted that data costs have plummeted from Rs269 per GB in 2014 to roughly Rs8–10 per GB in 2025–2026, making India one of the world's cheapest data markets.