India is taking on an ambitious challenge: replacing 250 million traditional electricity meters with intelligent, prepaid, smart meters. The Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) is changing how India manages and distributes energy on a fundamental level.
Progress was slow at first, with only 11% of the 222 million sanctioned smart meters installed by April 2025, against the broader target of 250 million by 2026. This was largely due to the complexity of transitioning from post-paid to prepaid systems amid other technical bottlenecks.
However, things have since picked up. Daily installations have surged from just 11,000 to 12,000 metres per day in early 2024 to 80,000 per day by 2025. Backed by the government's INR23,000 crore support, India's Ministry of Power hopes to get to 100,000 smart meters installed per day.
Early rollouts in states like Bihar, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh have shown encouraging results in billing efficiency and loss reduction. This underscores the transformative potential that is on the horizon for India's utility sector.
The connectivity challenge: Beyond basic smart metering
However, India's smart metering ambitions face connectivity challenges. Early-generation smart meters rely on pluggable plastic SIMs, Wi-Fi, Zigbee, or wired connections, which may raise issues when applied at a national scale or in prepaid, remote, or long-duration deployments.
Additionally, these older systems are not optimised for low power usage, which is important for battery-operated gas and water meters. In today's world, where sustainability is a growing priority, more digital, streamlined solutions are proving to be more efficient, reducing the need for physical SIM cards and bulky connectivity components, and in turn minimising electronic waste.
From a security perspective, older smart metering technologies can pose significant vulnerabilities. Many lack the robust encryption and authentication protocols needed to protect sensitive energy usage data. In addition, wired or local wireless connections often require supplementary hardware such as routers or mesh networks, which can add to deployment complexity depending on the installation environment.
Advanced connectivity solutions: The path forward
Integrated SIM (iSIM) technology, which is embedded into a device's baseband controller, makes it particularly valuable for gas and water meters requiring 10+ years of battery life.
The technology is not without connectivity and battery limitations, of course. iSIMs currently run on LTE-M and low-power NB-IoT, meaning they are best suited to specific IoT contexts for now. However, technologies like Red Cap should help deliver 5G with iSIMs, expanding its use.
As for security, iSIMs can help mitigate rising concerns about data privacy and tampering within the prepaid metering environments. Smart meter manufacturers and users can be reassured by the added protection provided by the hardware-rooted security and encrypted data transmissions of iSIMs, as well as the cost-effectiveness and ease of remote provisioning for smart devices.
In terms of connectivity, the communication landscape in India - which encompasses Radio Frequency Mesh (RF mesh), Power Line Communication (PLC), and cellular networks - can complicate connectivity.
This is where modern smart metering solutions shine. By enabling a single SKU deployment model, iSIM simplifies manufacturing, warehousing, and field operations. With RSP and IFPP, devices can be provisioned remotely or configured at the factory for their destination - cutting down delays, human error, and supply chain costs. This would be a game-changer for the nationwide scale.
Transformative benefits for India's energy future
With these advanced connectivity solutions, the benefits extend far beyond automating meter reading. iSIMs are more sustainable, with demonstrable reduction in carbon dioxide consumption since processes are digitised, and there's no need for physical SIM cards. Centralised management and seamless integration capabilities also mitigate potential compatibility issues with the existing infrastructure.
iSIMs enable reliable connectivity even in remote areas, backed by expansive network coverage and security-first design principles. This can protect against evolving threats and support compliance with industry and legal requirements.
Powering India's digital energy future
India's efforts on smart metering underscore a shift towards a more sustainable, energy-efficient future. As the country leaps towards its 2026 deployment goals for smart metering, it is time to look beyond installation to connectivity and quality. The country has the potential to become a model for global energy transformation, and the success of India's smart metering programme will be determined by decisions made today about connectivity.