Digital literacy in India is increasing as internet penetration expands to 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 cross one billion by 2025. This surge in smartphone adoption is driving substantial growth in the digital industry.
The report highlights that by 2025, around 56 percent of all new internet users in India will be from rural areas. This shift represents a significant change in the digital landscape as rural regions become a major source of new internet users.
Furthermore, the report also notes a notable increase in female participation in technology adoption. By 2025, 65 percent of new Internet users are expected to be women, reflecting a significant step towards greater gender parity in digital interaction.
Rural areas are projected to see the most significant growth in new internet users, with an anticipated increase of 26 percent by 2025. In contrast, urban areas are expected to see a more modest growth rate of just 10 percent.
This disparity highlights the rapid expansion of Internet use in rural areas compared to urban centres. By 2025, the number of Internet users in rural regions is expected to exceed 504 million, while in urban areas there will be 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 India.” This development underlines the growing importance of rural areas in the country’s digital ecosystem.
The report also reveals changes in the way people access news. It notes that 65 percent of internet users now get news through a variety of digital platforms, including news apps, websites, social media posts, message forwards and YouTube.
“Sixty-five percent of internet users access news and information online through various news apps and websites, social media posts, message forwards, YouTube, etc.,” the report said, highlighting the shift towards digital news consumption.
The report notes that there is a growing demand for Internet content in regional languages. This indicates that “57 percent of Internet users prefer to access Internet content in Indic languages in urban India.”
This trend reflects a growing preference for native language content, emphasizing the need for digital content providers to cater to diverse language preferences.
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