Top 10 countries with the fastest mobile internet in 2025: Here's where India stands
As the internet becomes increasingly central to modern life, the global rollout of 5G has led users to rely more on mobile devices than desktops, resulting in significant leaps in mobile internet speeds.
According to Ookla, median cellular download speeds worldwide have surged by more than 80 per cent in the past two years. Leading the charge is the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which now boasts the world's fastest mobile internet, with users experiencing a median download speed of 546.14 Mbps as of June 2025, per the Speedtest Global Index.
Several Gulf nations dominate the rankings, with five of them placing in the global top 10 for mobile internet speed, well above the worldwide average. The broader trend points to Asia and the Middle East leading the pack, while the United States ranks 14th globally at 165.57 Mbps speed.
Speedtest Global Index ranked countries as per the highest median mobile internet speed as of July 2025, listed below are the top 10 countries:
India currently ranks 26th in the world for median mobile download speed, clocking in at 133.51 Mbps, a three-spot improvement from its previous position.
The jump reflects India's ongoing digital transformation, strengthened by the expansion of mobile network infrastructure and the continued rollout of 5G technology aimed at bringing high-speed internet access to its vast population.
Cherry Gupta is an Assistant Manager – Content at The Indian Express. She leads the Top 10 section, curating list-based features on key national and international developments, and manages daily news content. She also produces SEO-driven articles and collaborates with the Lifestyle team to conduct interviews with notable artists and write workplace culture features. ... Read More
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scroll.in
7 hours ago
- Scroll.in
6.5% GDP growth not enough to become ‘Viksit Bharat': NITI Aayog CEO
NITI Aayog Chief Executive Office BVR Subrahmanyam on Thursday said that India's annual Gross Domestic Product growth needs to be 8%, and not 6.5%, if the country wants to achieve the target of becoming a developed economy by 2047, The Indian Express reported. Subrahmanyam made the comment while pointing to the important role statistics needs to play in policymaking. 'This data business is very, very important for our goal of Viksit Bharat,' the newspaper quoted Subrahmanyam as saying. 'After all, if you grow at 6.5%, you will not be Viksit Bharat; [if] you grow at 8%, you will be Viksit Bharat.' He added: 'It looks very small, 1.5%. But the difference, I tell you, in 2047 is going to be immense… What looks very minuscule can have major, major difference at the end.' Subrahmanyam was speaking at a meeting of statistical advisers in ministries and departments. In March, NITI Aayog member Arvind Virmani had said that India only needed an average real GDP growth rate of 6% to 6.2% to become a developed economy by 2047, the year India completes 100 years of independence, Moneycontrol reported. The NITI Aayog is the main public policy think tank of the Union government. On May 30, provisional estimates released by the Union government showed that India's real GDP for the financial year 2024-'25 grew by 6.5%. This was the slowest growth rate since the Covid-19 pandemic year of 2020-'21. In the financial year 2023-'24, the country's real GDP was 9.2%. The remark by Subrahmanyam came amid global economic headwinds. United States President Donald Trump's imposition of so-called reciprocal tariffs on dozens of countries, including a 25% levy on India, for not finalising trade agreements with Washington, has led to concerns of a broader trade war that could disrupt the global economy.
Indian Express
8 hours ago
- Indian Express
Next-generation GST reforms by Diwali, tax burden to come down for MSMEs, PM Modi says
The government is set to target the next big phase of reforms under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime by Diwali, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his Independence Day speech on Friday. Tax burden for smaller businesses and common people is going to be reduced as the government looks at reducing rates on daily-use items and removal of the 12 per cent slab. 'This Diwali, I am going to make it a double Diwali for you…we have undertaken a big reform of GST over the last eight years. We reduced the burden of tax across the country…eight years later, time demands that we review it. We started the review through the formation of a high-powered committee, held discussions with states,' Modi said. 'We are coming with next generation GST reforms by this Diwali,' he said, adding that tax burden will be reduced significantly, and MSMEs will benefit greatly. Sources said multiple meetings of the GST Council, the overarching federal body with members from both the Centre as well as states, will be held in the run-up to Diwali since decisions involving rate reductions that could potentially result in revenue losses will need to be discussed threadbare. The last meeting was held in December 2024. The government is looking at reducing the multiplicity of rates as well as public welfare services such as health and life insurance. The proposal to do away with the 12 per cent slab would involve shifting some items to the lower 5 per cent slab, and some others to the higher 18 per cent slab. Though this would simplify the multiple rate structure, it is estimated to result in significant revenue losses of Rs 70,000-80,000 crore for the Centre and states combined, The Indian Express had reported last month. In its last meeting held in Jaisalmer in December 2024, the GST Council had held discussions on lowering rates on several items. However, it decided to defer a key decision to lower the tax rate on health and life insurance premiums. The potential revenue losses from the major tweaks in GST rates are likely to be met by resistance from states as it may strain their fiscal health. This rate rationalisation proposal has been unpalatable to many states, both BJP-ruled and Opposition, as several attempts to simplify or reduce rates on consumer-focused items were stalled earlier in the GST Council. To build consensus and resolve contentious outstanding issues, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is learnt to have initiated discussions with all stakeholders — states as well as Central ministries, The Indian Express had reported last month. GST, the biggest indirect tax reform in recent years, was introduced in July 2017. But it is riddled with a multiplicity of rates — zero, 5 per cent, 12 per cent, 18 per cent and 28 per cent, in addition to the cess rates for luxury and sin goods, and special carve outs for precious metals. The GST rate rationalisation has been talked about for over four years now. In its 45th meeting held in September 2021 in Lucknow, the GST Council discussed the need to undertake rate rationalisation including correction of inverted duty structure, to reduce classification related disputes, and enhance GST revenues. The Council then approved changes in GST rates to correct inverted duty structure in many sectors, including textiles and footwear that were brought into effect from January 2022.
Indian Express
9 hours ago
- Indian Express
Daily Briefing: GST reforms, job scheme & made-in-India chips in PM Modi's I-Day speech
🇮🇳 Happy Independence Day, dear reader! Prime Minister Narendra Modi started off the day with his annual speech from the facade of the Red Fort. Some key takeaways from his speech include: 👉 The government is set to bring the next generation of GST reforms by October. PM Modi called it a 'Diwali gift', promising that these reforms would bring down taxes on daily-use items. 👉 He announced the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana, which comes into effect today. Under the scheme, the government will give Rs 15,000 to those getting their first job in the private sector, and also incentivise companies to create jobs for freshers. 👉 In an apparent reference to the US tariff threats, PM Modi reiterated that India will not accept any detrimental policy that compromises on the interests of its farmers. He added that India will embrace 'Swadeshi' with confidence, and not out of necessity. 👉 He added that India will launch a 'Sudarshan Chakra' mission to create a powerful weapons system to ward off any enemy attack. All public places will be covered by an expanded nationwide security shield by 2035. 👉 Made-in-India chips to hit markets by the end of this year, PM Modi further announced. On that note, let's get to today's edition. In the spirit of the long weekend, we will keep this one short-er than usual! 👇 🚨 Big Story US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, are set to meet later today in an attempt to end the war in Ukraine. Notably, no other European leader, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, will be present for the discussions. The outcome of the meeting will be keenly watched by New Delhi, which is seeking to avoid the additional 25 per cent US tariff linked to its Russian oil purchases. What both sides want: Trump's talks with Putin have yielded no progress on ending the war, fueling growing frustration. Trump hopes that sanctions on Russia's trading partners, such as the 'penalty' on India, would force Putin's hand into accepting a deal. Putin, meanwhile, has set high demands, asking for Ukrainian territories that Russia currently holds, a ban on Ukraine's entry into NATO and Zelenskyy's removal. He would also seek concessions on sanctions against Russia. India's stakes: A senior government official has also told The Indian Express that whether the US will charge the additional penalty on Indian goods, on top of the 25 per cent tariff currently in effect, would depend on 'how geopolitical developments unfold' over the next few days. 👉 It's noteworthy that S&P Global Ratings, the world's largest rating agency, has upgraded India's assessment to BBB from BBB-, calling it one of 'best performing economies in the world'. Crucially, S&P has said that the effect of the cumulative 50 per cent tariffs on the Indian economy would be 'manageable'. 👉 Indian refineries have slowed down oil imports from Russia in recent weeks. Industry insiders, however, say the reduction is primarily due to the narrowing of Russian discounts on crude oil, and not due to US threats. 👉 New Delhi also hopes to reaffirm its position on the side of peace and would want to join rebuilding efforts in Ukraine. Most importantly, New Delhi would also seek to improve ties with the US. Also read: The fascinating history of how the US bought Alaska, the venue of the Trump-Putin meeting, from Russia The Supreme Court's order to relocate all street dogs in Delhi-NCR to shelters has divided public opinion. In this week's Dis/Agree column, we discuss whether it's a strategy or cruelty. Ryan Lobo, director of Humane Foundation for People and Animals, has called the SC order 'humane', shining a light on the failures of the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules to prioritise public safety or protect animals. NCP (SP) spokesman Anish Gawande, meanwhile, writes that 'reality on ground' would make the SC order impossible to execute. The Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission to make available online a searchable list of approximately 65 lakh voter names omitted from the draft electoral roll for Bihar, along with reasons for deletion, such as death, migration, and duplication. Read my colleague Apurva Vishwanath's explainer for key takeaways on the SC's order. 📌 Must Read In a bizarre, yet concerning, development in Uttar Pradesh, a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report has flagged that the state Mining Department issued transit passes to thousands of 'unfit' vehicles to transport minerals, 'leading to illegal movement of minerals'. These vehicles included ambulances, bulldozers, fire tenders and even hearses. Read on. ⏳ And Finally… The game of cricket is increasingly moving from player-centric teams to those that fit the coaches' mould. India's recent draw finish at the Anderson Tendulkar Trophy shows that head coach Gautam Gambhir is yet to figure out a winning formula for the longest format of the game. His next challenge, however, will be to carve out a team that can defend the T20 World Cup title on home soil, early next year. My colleague Venkata Krishna B analyses Gambhir's options, and whether India need a finisher. 🎧 Before you go, do tune in to today's '3 Things' podcast episode, where we revisit the forgotten struggles from India's Independence movement. That's all for today, folks! Happy weekend-ing, Sonal Gupta
