India Mobile Congress 2026 Spotlights AI, Telecom Evolution and 6G Standards Push
19 Sources
[1]
AI ROI a long-term game for telcos; skipping adoption not an option: IMC CEO Ramakrishna P
Ramakrishna P told ET AI at the IMC 2026 that since telecom operators are providing a wider range of services for businesses, they might soon become more of a tech company. Telecom companies have to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) despite uncertainty around its contribution to revenue and
[2]
IMC 2026 Concludes With Focus on Agri-Food AI, Autonomous 5G AI Agents, and Last-Mile Digital Delivery
The 10th edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026 concluded on Saturday, October 10, 2026, after four days of discussions, multilateral collaboration and technology showcases, highlighting India's growing role in global digital innovation. Held under the theme 'Scale Without Boundaries,' the
[3]
AI boom will need bigger telecom 'pipes'; spectrum still a hurdle: COAI chief
Chief Dr SP Kochhar said the industry remains concerned about the scale of investments required, particularly as operators continue to look for viable ways to monetise 5G. India's push to scale artificial intelligence (AI) will require greater telecom network capacity as the industry seeks more
[4]
India Mobile Congress 2026 Honours Telecom Innovators and Industry Leaders
The challenge invited startups, researchers, academic institutions and innovators from across India to develop solutions using 5G, AI, Cloud and IoT to address real-world challenges. India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026 presented its prestigious annual awards during the landmark 10th edition in New
[5]
IMC 2026: Ericsson Showcases 5G, AI and 6G Innovations
Ericsson is showcasing a range of 5G, artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging 6G technologies at India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026, highlighting their potential to support India's digital transformation and create new applications for consumers and enterprises. The company's showcase combines its
[6]
IMC 2026: Qualcomm Demonstrates 'Connectivity Plus Compute' Architecture for Agentic AI
At the 10th edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026, held at Yashobhoomi, Qualcomm showcased demonstrations focused on the convergence of connectivity and computing to support agentic artificial intelligence. The centerpiece to the company's presentation is its "Connectivity Plus Compute"
[7]
Global Leaders at IMC 2026 Mobilise Action on AI for Good, Telecom Cyber Defence and Trusted Digital Infrastructure
The 10th edition of India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026 brought global consensus and sovereign innovation to the forefront, anchoring the forum's focus on next-generation standardisation and secure network architectures on the day 3. Engaging with the theme of 'Scale Without Boundaries,' international
[8]
Ericsson Showcases 5G, AI and 6G Innovations at India Mobile Congress 2026
Six winning startups are showcasing their solutions that apply 5G and AI to real-world challenges across agriculture, healthcare, digital inclusion, advanced manufacturing and environmental sustainability. Ericsson and emerging technologies like 6G are enabling new possibilities for consumers and
[9]
AI applications will force telecom networks to rethink uplink, spectrum and power: Ericsson India MD
MD Nitin Bansal said that as the technology moves beyond chatbots and into devices such as AI-enabled glasses and other applications that continuously send data to the cloud, the uplink side of mobile networks could become increasingly important. AI applications could push telecom operators to
[10]
IMC 2026: Vi to showcase AI and sovereign connectivity solutions under 'Boundless Intelligence' theme
Vi will present a suite of artificial intelligence-driven technologies and connectivity platforms at the upcoming India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026. Centered around the theme 'Boundless Intelligence' and anchored by the tagline 'Sovereign by Design', the operator's exhibition focuses on integrating
[11]
IMC 2026: Reliance Jio Showcases India-Built AI and Connectivity Innovations
India's leading telecom operator Reliance Jio is showcasing a range of sovereign, AI-first and home-grown technologies at India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026, highlighting how innovations developed to address India's scale and diversity can be deployed globally. The company's showcase brings together
[12]
KPMG Report: AI & Advanced Manufacturing Redefine India's Telecom Shift Beyond Connectivity
As the telecommunications industry evolves beyond connectivity into an intelligent digital infrastructure ecosystem, India stands at a pivotal juncture to strengthen its role across the global technology value chain. The convergence of artificial intelligence (AI), telecom networks, semiconductors,
[13]
AI-native networks, 6G to shape next phase of telecom, global leaders say at IMC 2026
India's telecom sector is moving beyond expanding connectivity towards building AI-native networks, integrating intelligence into infrastructure and shaping global 6G standards, with technology leaders at India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026 highlighting the need for programmable, secure and
[14]
From Terrestrial to Orbital: IMC 2026 Convenes Telecom Heavyweights to Map AI-Native Networks and Satellite Integration
Asia's largest digital technology forum deepens focus on Viksit Tech 47, direct-to-device satellite connectivity and the monetisation of AI-native infrastructure Building on a landmark inaugural session, the 10th edition of India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026 gathered global industry leaders,
[15]
India's semiconductor push, agentic AI set to reshape telecom and connected devices: Industry leaders
India's semiconductor ambitions and the rapid adoption of agentic artificial intelligence (AI) are set to reshape the country's technology and telecom ecosystem, with industry leaders seeing opportunities across chip design, domestic manufacturing, autonomous networks, enterprise solutions and
[16]
AI-Native Networks & 6G Take Center Stage at India Mobile Congress 2026 as Telcos Pivot Beyond Pure Connectivity
As the 10th edition of India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026 gathers pace at Yashobhoomi, the forum is setting the tone for the rest of days ahead, under the theme "Scale Without Boundaries". Global technology leaders, telecom operators, standards bodies and policymakers converged on one message: the
[17]
AI agents don't take coffee breaks, so networks must scale up: Ciena's Gautam Billa
With AI agents in the mix now, Billa said the network connecting the computing resources is likely to become a bottleneck in India's AI push, as their wider adoption in businesses drives up the data usage. Telecom networks have usually relied on an assumption that people will not speak, text or
[18]
Qualcomm Highlights 'Connectivity Plus Compute' at IMC 2026 as Agentic AI Reshapes Network Architecture
The showcase brings together AI agents running on devices, AI processing across the device, edge and cloud, and live integrated sensing on a commercial 5G network on the road to AI-native 6G At the 10th edition of India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026 at Yashobhoomi, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. is
[19]
Vi Brings 'Boundless Intelligence' to Life at IMC 2026, showcasing AI-Powered Innovations for Customers, Enterprises and Industries
To demonstrate how AI and connectivity unlock new possibilities across daily life, businesses, and industries with showcases ranging from personal AI assistant and digital mining to zero-touch voice customer service, agentic AI, and connected cars. India's leading telecom operator Vi will showcase
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India Mobile Congress 2026 concluded with focus on AI adoption across telecom, agriculture and healthcare. Industry leaders emphasized that telecom operators must embrace AI despite ROI uncertainty, while spectrum availability and network capacity remain critical hurdles for supporting the AI boom.
Telecom Operators Must Embrace AI Despite ROI Uncertainty
The 10th edition of India Mobile Congress 2026 concluded after four days of discussions under the theme 'Scale Without Boundaries,' bringing together over 150,000 attendees from more than 100 countries
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. Ramakrishna P, CEO of India Mobile Congress, emphasized that telecom operators cannot afford to skip AI adoption regardless of immediate financial returns. "If you don't adopt AI, you are not in the market. And the ROI point... I think it's a long-term game that everyone needs to understand," he told ET AI1
. The transformation positions telecom operators like Reliance Jio, Airtel, Vi and BSNL as technology companies rather than traditional communication service providers, with AI-powered networks becoming central to their offerings1
.AI Boom Demands Thicker Data Pipelines and More Spectrum
Lieutenant General Dr SP Kochhar, Director General of COAI, warned that India's AI boom will require significantly expanded network capacity. "The pipes we need will have to be much thicker," he said, highlighting that AI applications drive balanced demand for both upload and download speeds unlike conventional internet usage
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. However, spectrum availability remains a critical concern. COAI has been pushing the government for more allocation in the 6 GHz band, noting that operators received only 700 MHz of the 2 GHz requirement for 5G, leaving a gap of 1,200 MHz3
. This capacity crunch comes as the industry continues searching for viable monetization models for 5G, with Kochhar noting that "globally, we still don't have a clear monetisation case or use case for 5G"3
.6G Standards and Indigenous Innovation Take Center Stage
Communications Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia outlined India's ambition to secure 10 percent of global 6G patents, underscoring the country's commitment to contributing to international telecom standards
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. Ramakrishna P stressed that India's leadership aspirations extend beyond deployment to encompass 6G standards, patents and applications3
. At the event, Jio showcased India's first Giga MIMO Radio and unveiled a common baseband unit designed to support both 5G and 6G networks1
. The focus on indigenous innovation was evident in the official IMC 2026 Awards, which recognized achievements across indigenous innovation, export leadership and 5G use cases4
.5G and AI Solutions Address Real-World Challenges
The Ericsson Innovation Challenge 2026 highlighted practical applications of 5G and AI solutions across agriculture, healthcare, digital inclusion and manufacturing. Six winning startups emerged from 800 applications through a rigorous three-stage evaluation process
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. Torchit developed assistive technology for vision disabilities using AI readers that operate offline while leveraging 5G for updates and remote support. Skye Air Mobility integrated 5G into autonomous drone logistics, while ScanO applied AI to oral health screening with real-time specialist review capabilities5
. KissanAI's Dhenu platform enables farmers to access crop-related assistance through voice and images, with 5G supporting live photo and video-based diagnosis5
. The final day featured the Global Initiative on AI for Agri-Food Systems Meeting organized with the International Telecommunication Union, emphasizing sector-specific AI-driven innovations2
.Related Stories
Cybersecurity and Data Sovereignty Emerge as Critical Concerns
Kochhar warned that the expansion of AI-powered network traffic raises significant cybersecurity challenges, noting that "AI helps us, but it also helps criminals"
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. Fortinet Inc. was recognized with the Best Security, Privacy & Authentication Driven Solution of the Year award, underscoring the importance of robust security frameworks4
. Data sovereignty emerged as another priority, with Kochhar emphasizing the need to "strengthen and Indianise our databases, then build LLMs and SLMs on them"3
. The push for sovereign cloud capacity reflects India's desire for greater control over its data infrastructure despite the cost advantages of international cloud services.Digital Transformation Requires Last-Mile Connectivity Focus
The session titled 'Extra Mile for the Last Mile' examined sustainable financing models and rural broadband deployment needed to expand digital inclusion
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. Ramakrishna P emphasized that affordability remains essential for India's digital transformation: "We are a country where affordability is what sells and creates value, given our GDP and socio-economic conditions. There will be no compromise on affordability"1
. The Department of Telecommunications, along with industry partners, focused on ensuring high-speed connectivity translates into economic opportunities at the gram panchayat level. With over 600 partners and exhibitors, 500 startups and 900 thought leaders showcasing more than 2,000 technology use cases, the congress demonstrated how network capacity expansion and last-mile connectivity investments must work together to support India's AI-driven digital transformation4
.References
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