Summary:
According to SpeedGeo.net, India recorded strong improvements in both mobile and fixed broadband speeds between 2020 and 2026, based on more than 12 million speed tests across South Asia. India led the region in mobile internet with an average download speed of 106 Mbps in 2026, driven largely by widespread 5G deployment, while fixed broadband speeds rose from 22 Mbps to 69 Mbps. However, Bangladesh topped the region in fixed broadband at 73 Mbps. The study highlighted that network performance across South Asia continues to be influenced by infrastructure development, 5G and fibre expansion, regulatory conditions and economic factors.
India saw substantial gains in both mobile and fixed broadband speeds between 2020 and 2026, according to an analysis by SpeedGeo.net. The study is based on more than 12 million download speed tests carried out through V-Speed applications operated by SpeedGeo.net. It examined network performance across India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Afghanistan and the Maldives.
The report noted that broadband performance across South Asia is influenced not only by technological development but also by political, economic and regulatory conditions.
India Tops South Asia in Mobile Internet Speed
India achieved an average mobile download speed of 106 Mbps in 2026, narrowly ahead of the Maldives at 105 Mbps. SpeedGeo identified both countries as the leading mobile internet markets in South Asia, with the results largely linked to widespread 5G deployment rather than limited testing or pilot networks.
India’s average mobile download speed rose sharply from 17 Mbps in 2022 to 73 Mbps in 2023. According to the study, the major improvement followed the commercial introduction of 5G on October 1, 2022, after Reliance Jio and Airtel began rapidly expanding their 5G networks.
The average speed climbed further to 96 Mbps in 2024, before falling to 82 Mbps in 2025.
SpeedGeo suggested that the temporary decline was likely connected to the rapid expansion of India’s 5G user base. The report described the situation as a “victim of its own success,” noting that although India achieved one of the world’s quickest 5G rollouts, subscriber growth was occurring faster than network capacity could be expanded.
By 2026, India retained the top position in the region, with the Maldives just behind. The Maldives, which became the first South Asian country to introduce commercial 5G in 2019, saw its average mobile download speed rise from 21 Mbps in 2020 to 105 Mbps in 2026.
Mobile speeds also improved in Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, although their progress was considerably slower than that recorded in India and the Maldives, even where 5G had been formally introduced. Bangladesh’s average speed increased from 7 Mbps to 33 Mbps, with the report linking the improvement mainly to the development of its 4G network and stronger backhaul infrastructure, including fibre and submarine cable connectivity.
Nepal’s average mobile speed rose from 9.7 Mbps to 35.3 Mbps despite not having a full-scale commercial 5G rollout. SpeedGeo attributed the progress to early 4G deployment and continued infrastructure development. Sri Lanka experienced more limited growth, with speeds rising from 8.9 Mbps to 23.5 Mbps amid its continuing economic difficulties.
Pakistan was the only market in the region to record a decline in mobile internet performance in 2026. Its average download speed dropped from 16 Mbps in 2025 to 12 Mbps in 2026, despite initial 5G launches during the second quarter. Afghanistan, meanwhile, saw its average mobile speed increase from 2 Mbps to 12 Mbps during the study period.
India’s Fixed Broadband Speed Climbs From 22 Mbps to 69 Mbps
India also made consistent progress in fixed broadband between 2020 and 2026. SpeedGeo reported that the country’s average fixed broadband download speed increased from 22 Mbps to 69 Mbps. The improvement was attributed mainly to the expansion of fibre-to-the-home services and infrastructure development associated with the 5G-era broadband ecosystem.
The government’s BharatNet programme has also supported the expansion of FTTH connectivity in rural regions. However, India did not rank first in South Asia for fixed broadband speeds in 2026. Bangladesh took the leading position with an average download speed of 73 Mbps, moving ahead of India, while Nepal reached the same 69 Mbps level as India.
According to the report, Bangladesh’s strong performance was supported by the expansion of its fibre-optic backbone, greater international bandwidth through submarine cables, regulatory reforms and competition among local providers using fibre-based technologies such as GPON.
Nepal also recorded considerable improvement, with its fixed broadband download speed increasing from 12 Mbps to 69 Mbps during the period covered by the study. The growth was supported by expansion of the country’s fibre-optic backbone, wider adoption of FTTH and GPON technologies, and competition between private internet service providers and state-owned Nepal Telecom.
