India looking at 500 million mobile phone users by 2010

India is one of the fastest growing mobile markets in the world and is catching up with leaders at an amazing pace.

The country is now hoping to achieve a mobile user base of around 500 million by the end of the decade.

This means that almost every second Indian citizen would have a cell phone. With call charges being the lowest in the world, more and more first timers are purchasing mobile phones.

India’s Communications Minister Dayanidhi Maran said in a statement: “The number of cellular phone customers has already increased from 75 million in 2004 to 175 million until September this year. And the number is expected to grow to 500 million in the next four years.”

With companies like Nokia and Motorola manufacturing phones locally, the target might just be attainable.