India's mobile industry has built 1.2 billion active connections and nearly 450 million 5G subscribers, the GSMA said on 7 October as it urged operators and policymakers to convert that scale into economic value through AI-ready networks, enterprise services and stronger digital trust.

The industry group released three reports at India Mobile Congress 2026 in New Delhi, setting out priorities for what Director General Vivek Badrinath called the country's "next decade" of digital development.

"India has demonstrated that it can deliver digital scale," Badrinath said during his IMC keynote. "The opportunity now is to turn that scale into innovation, enterprise growth and trusted digital services."

"India's next decade will be defined not simply by how many people are connected, but by what they can achieve through that connectivity," he added. "Digital trust is not simply a safeguard. It is infrastructure for growth."

What does the GSMA recommend for India's next phase?

The India Ecosystem Insight Report, subtitled "From Mobile Connectivity to Digital Infrastructure," calls for India's reach to be translated into high-capacity, secure infrastructure capable of supporting AI workloads. It identifies three priorities: AI-ready networks, enterprise digitisation, and digital trust.

Operators can expand enterprise revenue through fixed wireless access, private 5G networks, cloud connectivity, network APIs and managed cybersecurity services, the report says. AI itself can improve network planning, energy efficiency, service assurance, cybersecurity and fraud detection across operator footprints.

Where does India rank on digital trust?

The GSMA's Digital Nations 2026 report assessed 22 Asia-Pacific countries across infrastructure, innovation, data governance, security and people. It identifies four foundations for digital trust: verifiable identities, authentic communications, resilient networks and responsible information sharing.

India has made progress on infrastructure and security, the GSMA said. The next step is to drive enterprise adoption and broaden mobile internet use. That will require coordination across government, regulators, mobile operators, financial institutions and digital platforms. Mobile operators can contribute through identity verification, network security, fraud prevention, authentication and trusted intelligence sharing.

How exposed are Indian consumers to scams?

The India Consumer Scam Report 2026, titled "Permission Granted, Cases Still Open," found 12% of respondents had been scammed in the previous year. Among victims, 86% reported the case to an organisation. Yet 33% of those reports remained unresolved and 67% of victims who lost money recovered none of it.

The behavioural impact runs wider. Seventy-two percent of all respondents said the growing risk of scams had changed their behaviour, with victims reporting avoidance of unknown callers, reduced use of digital payments or new caution about sharing personal data.

Trust correlates with outcomes. Among respondents whose cases were resolved, 88% were comfortable with government using their data. That figure dropped to 64% among those whose cases remained unresolved. The report calls for faster case resolution, better recovery mechanisms and closer coordination between public authorities, banks, mobile operators and digital platforms.

How are operators and the GSMA fighting fraud?

Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea (VI) support GSMA Open Gateway, a framework for common network APIs including number verification and SIM swap signals. These capabilities let banks and platforms confirm the identity behind a transaction or detect a recent SIM change, giving them an additional fraud-protection layer.

The GSMA's United Against Scams programme and the Asia Pacific Cross Sector Anti Scam Taskforce (ACAST) extend that work across borders. ACAST now includes 39 organisations across 17 countries, with Airtel, Reliance Jio and VI among the Indian participants. Work continues on trusted data sharing, network API signals and Open Verifiable Communications.

What role can India play in 6G?

The reports argue India has an opportunity to shape 6G standards rather than import them. Operators and industry partners across Asia Pacific, including the Bharat 6G Alliance, have signed the GSMA's Tokyo Accord, a commitment to open, interoperable and trusted digital ecosystems for the 6G era.

"India's global leadership can be manifested through innovation in building 6G, which is to be a truly global standard," Badrinath said. "Open, interoperable and trusted global standards allow innovation to travel, so people and businesses everywhere can benefit."

The GSMA Pavilion in Hall 2, D30 at India Mobile Congress 2026 will showcase work on digital trust, cross-sector anti-scam action and network APIs through GSMA Open Gateway. Badrinath delivered the opening keynote at 10:00 on 7 October. John Giusti, the GSMA's Chief Regulatory Officer, is scheduled to speak at 14:00 on 8 October.

Whether India converts its 1.2 billion connections into trusted, AI-driven growth will depend on operator investment in network APIs and enterprise services, faster scam-resolution coordination between banks and platforms, and the country's leverage in 6G standard-setting through the Tokyo Accord over the next several years.