Celebrating 30 Years of Public Internet Access in India – Launch of GIAS (Gateway Internet Access Service)

By Suchit Nanda

Thirty years ago on August 15, 1995, as the national flag was being hoisted in India, the nation entered a new era of digital connectivity with the launch of public internet access by then Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL). As the first major step toward transforming the country’s communication landscape, this milestone not only marked the beginning of Internet services for the public but also laid the foundation for the technological revolution that has since reshaped Indian society, commerce, economy, and culture. In 1995 there were about 10,000 users which grew to 1 million in just four years. Today, over 950 million Indians use the Internet making it the world’s second largest users after China and that too with one of the lowest costs in the world.

Three decades ago, the concept of the Internet was unfamiliar to most citizens. In 1995, only a ...