Government doubles EMF radiation limits to boost 5G coverage

New rules, effective next month, raise permitted power density for 5G towers to 10 watts per square metre, aligning India with global norms and enabling telecom firms to expand coverage using fewer towers.

India is set to relax its electromagnetic field (EMF) radiation norms for mobile towers starting next month, a move aimed at helping telecom operators manage surging 5G data traffic more efficiently, according to reports.

Under the revised framework, the maximum power density allowed for a 5G base transceiver station will rise to 10 watts per square metre, twice the current ceiling of 5 watts. A higher power density lets signals travel farther, meaning operators can extend the reach of each tower rather than installing new ones, potentially cutting network rollout costs.

Why the limit is being raised

Telecom companies have pushed for this change for some time, arguing that India's older radiation caps were too conservative for 5G networks to function efficiently. For years, the country enforced far tighter emission standards than those set by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), the body that guides the World Health Organisation and governments worldwide on EMF safety.

India originally capped power density at just 1 watt per square metre before raising it to 5 watts last year. The new 10-watt threshold now matches the ICNIRP-recommended level.

Industry voices have long maintained that norms designed around 2G, 3G and 4G infrastructure don't translate well to 5G, given fundamental differences in how the newer technology transmits signals. Last year's partial easing was seen as a first step toward addressing this gap.

Impact on telecom operators

The change is expected to particularly benefit Vodafone Idea, which is still in the middle of building out its 5G network and can now design its infrastructure around the relaxed limits, the report said, citing sources familiar with the matter. Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio — both further along in their 5G deployment — are also likely to see gains through reduced future capital spending and better utilisation of existing tower sites.

With this update, India's radiation norms will fall in line with roughly 137 countries that already follow ICNIRP-based standards, including nations across the European Union as well as the UK, Japan, Australia, South Korea and Singapore. India had first adopted ICNIRP guidelines in 2008 but tightened them further in 2012, resulting in stricter norms than most of the world.