A comprehensive national survey by the National Statistical Office (NSO) has revealed that while smartphone usage among young Indians is nearly universal — 97.6 per cent of males and 95.2 per cent of females aged 15-29 — rural areas continue to lag in digital adoption, especially in e-commerce. Conducted during the 80th round of the NSS from January to March 2025, the survey found that only 16 per cent of rural households made online purchases in the previous 30 days, compared to 39.4 per cent in urban areas.

In rural areas, around 79.2 per cent of males and 75.6 per cent of females in the age group ‘15 years and above’ own a smartphone among those who own a mobile phone. Whereas, in urban area, the percentage is estimated at around 89.4 and 86.2 per cent for male and female, respectively, for the same age group.

The e-commerce divide 

This data highlights the digital divide between rural and urban households in India concerning e-commerce usage. Urban households are more than twice as likely (39.4 per cent) to make online purchases compared to rural households (16.0 per cent). The overall percentage (24.5 per cent) shows that while digital adoption is growing, it remains limited, especially outside urban centres.

“The data reflects that there’s a significant opportunity to expand e-commerce accessibility in rural areas through targeted digital literacy programs, infrastructure development (e.g., reliable internet), and trust-building measures (e.g., secure payment gateways). Urban areas have embraced online shopping, indicating more digital maturity and better integration with logistics, payment systems, and delivery networks” says Sumedha Salunkhe, a communication researcher.

Purchase pattern

The data also reveals distinct purchasing patterns between rural and urban consumers. Rural households predominantly buy non-food items online (75.7 per cent), suggesting they might be ordering durable goods (electronics, clothing) that are otherwise less accessible locally. Only 4.3 per cent buy food items only, possibly due to limited cold-chain logistics or preference for local fresh markets. Urban households show a more balanced trend, with a significant 52.4 per cent buying both food and non-food items online — indicative of robust e-grocery adoption and the maturity of logistics networks in cities.

E-grocery expansion efforts in rural areas may need to address supply chain infrastructure and consumer trust. Urban consumers demonstrate advanced digital integration into daily life — highlighting opportunities for omnichannel marketing and quick commerce models. The stark contrast suggests e-commerce companies should adopt differentiated strategies for rural and urban markets.

Access to the internet

About 86.3 per cent of households have internet facilities at home — a promising foundation for digital services. Almost universal mobile network use (98.8 per cent rural; 98.9 per cent urban) shows the dominance of smartphones and mobile broadband. Fixed/WiFi networks are significantly less common in rural areas (9.1 per cent) compared to urban areas (24.0 per cent). Optical fibre cable penetration is also low, especially in rural regions (3.2 per cent), highlighting infrastructural challenges.

The report on the Comprehensive Modular Survey: Telecom (CMS:T), 2025 of the NSS 80th round conducted during January - March, 2025 is based on the survey was spread over 4,382 first-stage units (2,395 in rural areas and 1,987 in urban areas) covering 34,950 households (19,071 in rural areas and 15,879 in urban areas) and 1,42,065 persons (82,573 in rural areas and 59,492 in urban areas).

Published on June 6, 2025