India

India is poised to greenlight commercial satellite communication services once TRAI issues final pricing for satellite spectrum use and associated charges. The communications minister indicated the policy and licensing groundwork for satellite broadband is largely complete, with two GMPCS licenses issued and one additional letter of intent granted. The final trigger is the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s decision on spectrum pricing and usage fees for satcom bands. After that, operators can commence rollouts—initially for enterprise and backhaul, then for consumer broadband in selected markets. Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb and Reliance Jio’s satellite unit are positioned to move early, with constellation capacity and gateways progressing.
At India Mobile Congress 2025, Jio framed a broad agenda that ties devices, networks, AI skills, and safety into a national-scale digital strategy. The message from Jio’s chairman was clear: India’s telecom flywheel now spans the full value chain, from semiconductors and device platforms to fraud management and the next wave of 6G research. Telcos are shifting from pure connectivity to platform businesses that bundle devices, cloud access, security, and AI services. JioPC is positioned as an “AI-ready” computer that turns any screen into a managed endpoint, delivered through a subscription model.
Vodafone Idea (Vi) used India Mobile Congress 2025 to unveil Vi Protect, a network-integrated, AI-powered security suite aimed at stopping spam calls, fraudulent messages, and fast-moving cyber threats for both consumers and businesses. By moving detection into the network rather than relying on over-the-top apps, Vi is positioning security as a core service-level capability with lower latency, broader coverage, and tighter control. Unlike app-only caller ID and spam filtering, Vi Protect runs at the DNS, SMS, and voice gateway layers, combining AI models, web crawlers, and subscriber feedback loops. The operator says its systems have already intercepted more than 600 million scam and spam attempts.
India’s nationwide launch of BSNL’s “Swadeshi” 4G stack moves the country from a services-first model to domestic production of core telecom equipment at national scale. India formally launched an indigenous 4G stack for state-run BSNL, alongside more than 97,500 towers announced from Jharsuguda, Odisha. Officials highlighted early reach metrics, noting that roughly 92,000 sites are active and connecting an estimated 22 million users. Telecom equipment sovereignty has become a board-level issue as operators de-risk supply chains, comply with trusted source mandates, and balance costs amid rising traffic and spectrum refarming needs.
Tidal Wave Technologies has selected UK-based RANsemi to supply AI-enhanced Open RAN small cells for next-generation industrial private 5G networks across India. The companies will integrate RANsemi’s small cell platform into private 5G systems targeted at harsh, safety-critical environments. Initial focus areas include open-cast coal mines, large port terminals, and complex logistics hubs. The goal is to deliver resilient, low-latency connectivity for automation, remote operations, and worker safety. The partnership will be showcased at India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025 with a live demonstration of integrated small cells and edge intelligence.
India’s Digital Communications Commission has sent most of TRAI’s satellite spectrum recommendations back for review, signaling a tougher stance on pricing, compliance, and market safeguards. TRAI recommended that satellite internet providers pay 4% of adjusted gross revenue (AGR) as spectrum usage charges, an additional Rs 500 per urban subscriber per year, and a minimum annual spectrum fee of Rs 3,500 per MHz when the AGR-linked payout falls short. At its September 16 meeting, the DCC—comprising senior DoT officials and representatives from finance, IT, and NITI Aayog—reviewed the satcom framework and withheld approval on most elements.
The quarter’s growth underscores a resilient access capex cycle despite macro uncertainty, with fiber and fixed wireless access (FWA) deployments offsetting sluggish cable spend. Fiber PON platforms and 5G FWA customer premises equipment (CPE) drove the uptick, while DOCSIS infrastructure outlays fell 13% year over year on weaker Remote PHY Device (RPD) purchases and a slowdown in new virtual CMTS (vCMTS) licenses. The competitive center of gravity in broadband is shifting. Operators prioritizing XGS-PON rollouts and 5G FWA are growing faster and spending more, while cable operators are pacing upgrades and deferring some distributed access architecture (DAA) investments.
Reliance Jio's Haptik has launched WhatsApp and voice-based AI agents for small and midsize businesses (SMBs) starting at 10,000, signaling a step-change in how Indian firms automate customer engagement at scale. Haptik is extending its SMB platform, Interakta WhatsApp-first CRM and support suite used by over 50,000 businessesto include autonomous AI agents for chat and voice. The entry pack is priced at 10,000 and covers roughly 2,000 AI-driven conversations, putting the effective cost per interaction in the 35 range. Crucially, they support 22 Indian languages. Haptik reports that early adopters are automating up to 80% of repetitive support queries and seeing 2025% lift in lead-to-sale conversions.
DE-CIX India has become the first internet exchange in India to integrate Starlink’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite service, marking a strategic advance in non-terrestrial network (NTN) capabilities. With 25–220 Mbps throughput and low latency, Starlink's interconnection via DE-CIX enables local breakout, cloud on-ramps, and SD-WAN optimization across hard-to-reach regions. As regulatory approvals move toward completion, satellite connectivity shifts from pilot to production-ready, opening new paths for mobile backhaul, enterprise WANs, and e-governance.
India's telecom usage is now predominantly indoors, and TRAI's new property rating framework puts digital connectivity on par with core utilities. TRAI's chairperson flagged a decisive shift: most mobile data is consumed inside homes, offices, malls, hospitals, and transit hubs. Connectivity inside buildings is moving from convenience to necessity. TRAI's 2024 Regulations introduce a voluntary, performance-based star rating that assesses how ready a property is to deliver high-quality broadband and mobile connectivity. The framework encourages developers to embed Digital Connectivity Infrastructure (DCI) at design stage, aligns with Digital India and Smart Cities Mission, and invites ministries and agencies to incorporate DCI into guidelines, tenders, and training.
Kyndryls' three-year, $2.25 billion plan signals an aggressive push to anchor AI-led infrastructure modernization in India's digital economy and to scale delivery across regulated industries. The $2.25 billion commitment, anchored by the Bengaluru AI lab and tied to governance and skilling programs, should accelerate enterprise-grade AI and hybrid modernization across India. Expect more co-created reference architectures, deeper public-sector engagements, and tighter integration with network and cloud partners through 2026. For telecom and large enterprises, this is a timely opportunity to industrialize AI, modernize core platforms, and raise operational resilience provided programs are governed with clear metrics, strong security, and a pragmatic path from pilot to production.
India's AI oversight for telecom is moving from recommendations to implementation, with policy review and technical workstreams running in parallel. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has issued recommendations on leveraging artificial intelligence and big data in telecom, including the creation of an independent statutory authority for AI governance. The proposed Artificial Intelligence and Data Authority of India (AIDAI) is envisioned to promote responsible AI development and regulate sectoral use cases. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has initiated projects with research bodies and universities focused on how to ensure and test AI trustworthiness.
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