TL;DR Women’s internet use in India nearly doubled from 33.3% in NFHS-5 to 64.3% in NFHS-6, while mobile phone ownership rose from 54% to 63.6%. Rural women recorded significant gains, though urban women continue to lead on both indicators. Southern and northeastern states report the highest levels of connectivity, while Tripura, Odisha, and Assam lag. Notably, in several states, internet use and mobile ownership do not always move together, which may indicate that some women access the internet through shared devices without owning a personal phone.
Context
Whether it is applying for scholarships, receiving welfare benefits, making digital payments, or accessing online education, the internet has become an essential part of daily life. For women, digital access is increasingly linked to economic opportunities, financial inclusion, healthcare information, and participation in social and civic life.
However, digital empowerment goes beyond owning a smartphone. It also depends on whether women can independently access and use digital technologies.
Who Compiles This Data?
The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) is conducted under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, with the survey reports and datasets published by the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS).
For this analysis:
Internet Use refers to women aged 15 to 49 years who have ever used the internet.
Mobile Ownership refers to women aged 15 to 49 years who have a mobile phone that they themselves use.
Key Insights
Women’s Digital Access Has Expanded Rapidly Over the Last Decade
The share of women owning a mobile phone increased from 45.9% in NFHS-4 to 63.6% in NFHS-6. Urban women continued to report higher ownership levels, rising from 61.8% to 77.6%, while rural ownership increased from 36.9% to 57.4%.
Internet usage has grown even more rapidly. The proportion of women who had ever used the internet increased from 33.3% in NFHS-5 to 64.3% in NFHS-6. Rural internet use more than doubled, increasing from 33.% to 63.3%. Urban internet use rose from 51.8% to 77.3%, while rural internet use more than doubled from 24.6% to 58.6%.
The substantial gains in rural areas suggest that digital technologies are becoming increasingly accessible beyond major urban centres. However, urban women still maintain a clear advantage in both internet use and mobile ownership.
Southern and Northeastern States Lead Women’s Internet Usage
Goa reported the highest share of women who had ever used the internet at 94%, followed by Sikkim at 90.3%, Kerala at 87.3%, Chandigarh at 83.9%, and Mizoram at 82.5%. Several northeastern states performed particularly well despite geographical challenges.
At the other end of the spectrum, Tripura recorded the lowest share at 48.8%, followed by Odisha at 51.8%, Assam at 53.5%, and Chhattisgarh at 54.4%.
Large states such as Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Telangana have made considerable progress, although differences across regions continue to persist.
Internet Usage and Mobile Ownership Do Not Always Move Together
Note: ‘Mobile Ownership > Internet Use’ indicates states where more women own a mobile phone than have used the internet, while ‘Internet Use > Mobile Ownership’ indicates the opposite.
In Meghalaya, 80.6% of women owned a mobile phone, but only 59% reported having used the internet ever. Similar patterns were observed in Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, and Puducherry. This suggests that owning a mobile phone does not necessarily translate into internet use. Factors such as affordability, digital literacy, language barriers, and usage preferences may influence how people use their devices.
The reverse pattern was visible in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Haryana, where internet use exceeded personal mobile ownership. These differences may indicate that some women access the internet through shared household devices or alternative means, even without owning a personal mobile phone themselves.
Several Large States Recorded Rapid Growth in Women’s Internet Use
Andhra Pradesh recorded one of the largest increases, with internet use among women rising from 21.0% in NFHS-5 to 63.6% in NFHS-6. Uttar Pradesh improved from 30.6% to 70%, while Bihar rose from 20.6% to 58.4%.
States such as Puducherry, Chandigarh, Goa, Sikkim, Mizoram, and Delhi recorded comparatively smaller increases. However, this does not imply weaker digital performance. Many of these regions already had relatively high internet penetration among women in NFHS-5, leaving less room for dramatic improvements.
For instance, Goa increased from an already high base of 73.7% to 94%, while Sikkim improved from 76.7% to 90.3%. These trends suggest that India’s digital expansion is increasingly reaching states that previously lagged behind, potentially narrowing long-standing regional disparities in women’s access to technology.
Why Does It Matter?
Digital access increasingly shapes how women participate in economic and social life. From accessing welfare schemes and digital payments to pursuing education and employment opportunities, internet connectivity has become an important enabler of empowerment.
The NFHS data suggests that while India has made substantial progress in expanding women’s digital access, challenges remain. Rural-urban gaps persist, state-level disparities continue, and independent access to digital devices is not universal. Ensuring that women can meaningfully participate in India’s digital transformation will therefore remain an important policy priority.
Key Numbers (NFHS-6)
Women Using the Internet (NFHS-6): 64.3%
Women Owning a Mobile Phone (NFHS-6): 63.6%
Urban Women Using the Internet: 77.3%
Rural Women Using the Internet: 58.6%
Highest Internet Usage: Goa (94%)
Lowest Internet Usage: Tripura (48.8%)
Largest Improvement: Andhra Pradesh, from 21.0% to 63.6%
This article was originally published on Factly and has been republished here with permission.