New Delhi, Aug. 5 -- Internet subscribers in India have increased to over 109 crore, while 2.21 lakh Gram Panchayats have been made service-ready under the BharatNet project as part of the government's efforts to strengthen digital infrastructure, the Centre informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada, in a written reply, said internet subscribers rose from 25.15 crore in March 2014 to 109.27 crore in March 2026. Telephone connections also increased from 93.3 crore to more than 133 crore during the same period.

The minister said BharatNet continues to expand broadband connectivity in rural and remote areas. As of June 2026, 2.21 lakh Gram Panchayats had been made servic...