India added 53.83 lakh mobile subscribers in June 2026, taking the base to 128.24 crore, according to TRAI data reported by TelecomTalk.
Airtel led with 29.9 lakh additions, ahead of Jio with 21.47 lakh. This is June’s data, and TRAI has since released figures through September, in which Jio moved back into first place on additions. Details are based on FoneArena.
Mobile subscribers by operator, June 2026
| Operator | Added in June | Base | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jio | +21,46,980 | 50.36 crore | 39.27% |
| Airtel | +29,89,976 | 48.68 crore | 37.96% |
| Vi | +1,63,757 | 19.88 crore | 15.50% |
| BSNL | +94,006 | 9.30 crore | 7.25% |
| MTNL | -11,284 | 1.66 lakh | 0.01% |
What sits behind the numbers
Active users tell a clearer story than total SIMs. TRAI’s peak VLR figures show 99.27% of Airtel’s base and 99.07% of Jio’s were active, against 83.98% for Vi and 55.58% for BSNL. Many BSNL SIMs on the books are not in regular use.
BSNL did return to growth in June, after losing users in May. Wireline moved the other way for it, with 7.96 lakh connections lost, while Jio and Airtel kept adding. Jio’s 5G fixed wireless base reached 91.14 lakh and Airtel’s 38.21 lakh.
Our reports on the April data and May data cover the months before. The same June data showed 13.47 crore machine-to-machine connections, covered in our IoT explainer. Jio users also averaged 43.7GB of data a month in the June quarter.
The months after June shifted the lead. Airtel added about 26.8 lakh users in July, but Jio led in August with 24.0 lakh and in September with 27.1 lakh, while Vi’s and BSNL’s additions grew to 5.5 lakh and 6.3 lakh by September, according to tele.net’s reports of TRAI data for July, August and September.
Why it matters for mobile shops
Airtel and Jio continue to gain most new users, so their recharges and SIMs are likely to be where most demand sits. The gap between total and active users is a useful reminder when judging BSNL’s strength in your area. Check newer monthly data before making stock decisions.
