Rural areas will be growth driver of internet, smartphone penetration in India: IAMAI

New Delhi: Digital literacy in India is on the rise as internet penetration expands into increasingly remote areas of the country.
According to a report by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), the number of smartphone users in India is expected to exceed 1 billion by 2025. This surge in smartphone adoption is driving substantial growth in the digital industry.
The report highlights that by 2025, around 56 per cent of all new internet users in India will come from rural areas. This shift represents a significant change in the digital landscape, as rural regions become a major source of new internet users.
Additionally, the report also notes a notable increase in female participation in technology adoption. By 2025, 65 per cent of new internet users are expected to be female, reflecting an important step toward greater gender parity in digital engagement.
Rural areas are predicted to experience the most significant growth in new internet users, with an anticipated increase of 26 per cent by 2025. In contrast, urban areas are expected to see a more modest growth rate of only 10 per cent.
This disparity underscores the rapid expansion of internet use in rural areas compared to urban centres. By 2025, the number of internet users in rural regions is projected to exceed 504 million, while urban areas will have more than 390 million users.
The report also highlights a key milestone: "Internet users in India have crossed the 800 million mark, with rural India having more internet users than urban." This development underscores the increasing importance of rural areas in the country's digital ecosystem.
The report also reveals changes in how people access news. It notes that 65 per cent of internet users are now obtaining news through various digital platforms, including news apps, websites, social media posts, message forwards, and YouTube.
"65 per cent of internet users access news and information online through various news apps/websites, social media posts, message forwards, YouTube etc.," the report states, highlighting the shift towards digital news consumption.
The report says, there is a growing demand for internet content in regional languages. This indicates that "57 per cent of internet users prefer to access internet content in Indic languages in Urban India."
This trend reflects an increasing preference for content in native languages, emphasizing the need for digital content providers to cater to diverse linguistic preferences.