“India today stands as the world’s second-largest telecom market, with over 1.2 billion subscribers and nearly one billion internet users, highlighting the sector’s central role in the country’s growth story. At the same time, India’s IT and digital services ecosystem continues to expand rapidly, driven by rising data consumption, cloud adoption, digital public platforms and the steady rollout of 5G networks across the country, said Dr Santhosh Babu IAS (Retd.), Principal Secretary & Managing Director, KFON. As the Union Budget approaches, there is a strong expectation for enhanced investment in fibre-based broadband and digital infrastructure to support the next phase of growth in telecom, IT and emerging technologies. Strengthening last-mile connectivity, particularly in rural and underserved areas, will be critical to bridging the digital divide. A focused push on resilient public digital infrastructure will not only improve service delivery and governance but also ensure affordable, reliable, high-speed internet access for every citizen, he added.
