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Airtel Holds 61.16% of India's M2M Connections in September

TRAI data shows India's M2M cellular connections rose to 144.85 million in September 2026.

Jhanvi Shah Oct 28, 2026, 4:29 PM IST 2 min read

Key Takeaways

Airtel held 61.16% of India's M2M cellular connections, or 88.58 million, at the end of September 2026.
India's M2M connections rose to 144.85 million in September from 140.50 million in August.
Jio held 19.29%, Vodafone Idea 16.14% and BSNL 3.41% of M2M connections.
Overall tele-density was 95.52% with M2M connections and 85.41% without them.
TRAI released the data on 27 October 2026.

Bharti Airtel held 61.16% of India's M2M connections at the end of September 2026, according to data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on 27 October 2026. Airtel had 88.58 million of the 144.85 million M2M cellular mobile connections in the country.

The total rose from 140.50 million at the end of August 2026, an increase of 4.35 million connections, or about 3.1%. Reliance Jio Infocomm, Vodafone Idea and BSNL followed Airtel, with shares of 19.29%, 16.14% and 3.41%.

India's M2M connections in September 2026 at a glance

Detail	Value
Total M2M cellular mobile connections, September 2026	144.85 million
Total M2M cellular mobile connections, August 2026	140.50 million
Increase over the month	4.35 million (about 3.1%)
Bharti Airtel	88.58 million, 61.16% share
Reliance Jio Infocomm	19.29% share
Vodafone Idea	16.14% share
BSNL	3.41% share
Source of data	TRAI, released 27 October 2026

How the four operators split India's M2M connections

TRAI named Airtel as the operator with the highest number of M2M cellular mobile connections. The three other operators in the release together hold 38.84% of the total, which means the four shares add up to 100%. Jio's 19.29% and Vodafone Idea's 16.14% are close to each other, and BSNL's 3.41% is the smallest of the four.

M2M, or machine-to-machine, connections are SIM-based connections that let devices exchange data over mobile networks. TRAI includes them in its wireless subscriber count and in its tele-density calculation.

What M2M connections do to India's subscriber and tele-density numbers

TRAI said the number of wireless (mobile) subscribers, including M2M connections, rose from 1,293.43 million at the end of August 2026 to 1,300.00 million at the end of September 2026. Total wireless connections, which also include fixed wireless access, stood at 1,319.19 million.

Measure	September 2026
Overall tele-density with M2M connections	95.52%
Tele-density without M2M connections	85.41%
Wireless (mobile) subscribers, including M2M	1,300.00 million
Total wireless connections, including fixed wireless access	1,319.19 million

Where India's M2M base stands after September

With 144.85 million connections at the end of September 2026, the M2M base grew by 4.35 million in one month, from 140.50 million in August. Airtel accounts for 88.58 million of them, a 61.16% share, while Jio, Vodafone Idea and BSNL hold the remaining 38.84%. Including M2M connections, India's overall tele-density was 95.52%, against 85.41% without them.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much of India's M2M connections does Airtel hold?

Bharti Airtel held 61.16% of India's M2M cellular mobile connections at the end of September 2026, or 88.58 million connections, according to TRAI.

What is M2M?

M2M, or machine-to-machine, connections are SIM-based connections that let devices exchange data over mobile networks, and TRAI counts them in its wireless subscriber data.

How many M2M connections did India have in September 2026?

India had 144.85 million M2M cellular mobile connections at the end of September 2026, according to TRAI.

How many M2M connections did India have in August 2026?

India had 140.50 million M2M cellular mobile connections at the end of August 2026, according to TRAI.

How much did M2M connections grow in September 2026?

M2M connections grew by 4.35 million in September 2026, from 140.50 million to 144.85 million, an increase of about 3.1%.

How are India's M2M connections split among operators?

Airtel holds 61.16%, Reliance Jio Infocomm 19.29%, Vodafone Idea 16.14% and BSNL 3.41% of India's M2M cellular mobile connections, according to TRAI.

Which operator has the most M2M connections in India?

Bharti Airtel has the most M2M cellular mobile connections in India, with 88.58 million at the end of September 2026.

What is Reliance Jio's share of M2M connections?

Reliance Jio Infocomm held 19.29% of India's M2M cellular mobile connections at the end of September 2026, according to TRAI.

What share of M2M connections do Vodafone Idea and BSNL hold?

Vodafone Idea held 16.14% and BSNL held 3.41% of India's M2M cellular mobile connections at the end of September 2026, according to TRAI.

What was India's tele-density in September 2026 with M2M connections?

India's overall tele-density was 95.52% in September 2026 with M2M connections included, and 85.41% without them, according to TRAI.

When did TRAI release the September 2026 M2M data?

TRAI released its telecom subscription data for September 2026 on 27 October 2026, in Press Release No. 140 of 2026.

How many wireless subscribers did India have in September 2026?

India had 1,300.00 million wireless (mobile) subscribers, including M2M connections, at the end of September 2026, and 1,319.19 million total wireless connections including fixed wireless access, according to TRAI.