Though it remains uncertain when 5G commericial will start in India, 5G smartphone sales in the country will still see rapid growth in 2021, according to local media.

Economic Times and Livemint noted that the high prices of 5G devices are still deterring consumers, but affordable phones will be available when chip prices drop, they said.

They cited Counterpoint Research as estimating that 5G phones shipped in India in third-quarter and fourth-quarter 2020 reached 1.7 million and around 4 million, respectively. And 5G smartphone shipments to India are expected to grow significantly to 38 million units in 2021, accounting for 21% of all handset shipments.

Price is still an important factor in the growth of 5G handset shipments in India: 89% of the handsets shipped in India between January and November 2020 were priced at INR20,000 (about US$275 or less), but the lowest-priced 5G handset in India is still at INR20,999.