Summary of this article
Mobile ownership is high, but internet access remains uneven.
Women continue to lag men in internet usage.
Many households need help using digital services independently.
India’s digital divide has become less about access and more about how people use digital services. Even though mobile ownership is nearly universal, at 95.1 per cent, access to the internet, digital skills and usage remain uneven across households, according to a latest study by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) in partnership with The Quantum Hub (TQH), titled The Evolving Landscape of Digital Inclusion in India.
Mobile Ownership High But Uneven
Mobile phone ownership remains 95.1 per cent across the country, but distribution varies sharply by income level. The average number of mobile phones per household rises from 1.5 in the poorest households to 2.9 in the richest households, indicating higher device access among wealthier groups and shared usage in lower-income families.
Lower-income households are also more likely to share devices among multiple members, thus limiting access to digital services per person. Household income continues to be an important determinant of device ownership and access to internet connectivity.
Gender Gap In Digital Use
Only 35.6 per cent of working-age women use the internet, compared to 57.6 per cent of men, showing a persistent gender gap in digital access and usage across households.
Access to smartphones and private device ownership also contribute to differences in usage levels. Women’s internet use remains lower across both rural and urban areas.
Internet Access Widens, But Gaps Persist
While the use of the Internet is growing, there are still substantial gaps. Approximately 71.4 per cent of households have access to the internet via a mobile device, and 27.5 per cent of households report no internet access. Cheaper smartphones, lower data costs and increasing network availability have driven up the number of users from around 198 million in 2015 to more than 1.03 billion in 2025.
Mobile internet access is more prevalent than fixed broadband in rural and semi-urban areas. The quality of connectivity and access remains uneven in certain areas.
Digital Skills And Assisted Usage
Among households using digital services, 20.4 per cent reported needing help from someone outside the household to complete online tasks. This dependence rises to nearly one in three households with no formal education.
This is referred to in the report as a "hidden divide" in digital skills, meaning that not everyone who has access to digital services is able to use them on their own. There are many tasks (such as paying online, filing forms or accessing government services) that are reliant on outside support for many households.
Households with less education are much more reliant on intermediaries, the report found. For many users, the internet functions as a medium or a bridge, rather than an independently usable tool.
