The telecom industry in India started in 1851 with the introduction of the telegraph system. However, the modern telecom industry started in 1995 with the introduction of mobile services.

Some of the companies that have been present in the Indian telecom industry since its inception are BSNL, MTNL, Vodafone, Airtel, and Idea Cellular (now merged with Vodafone).

As of 2022, the market leaders in the Indian telecom industry are Reliance Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone Idea.

Apart from these companies, there are several other players in the Indian telecom market, including BSNL, MTNL, Tata Teleservices, and several regional players.