Swedish telecom giant Ericsson is doubling down on India’s long-term growth, buoyed by recent network agreements with Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea. Borje Ekholm, President and CEO of Ericsson, expressed optimism that a financially stronger Vodafone Idea could enhance market competitiveness and contribute to a healthier telecom ecosystem.
India: A Strategic Growth Market for Ericsson
In an interview, Ekholm underscored India’s strategic significance, highlighting that the country is home to Ericsson’s largest global workforce—over 22,500 employees. The company aims to become a “domestic champion” by deepening local partnerships with telecom operators, startups, and academic institutions.
Following the rapid 5G rollout in 2023, Ericsson experienced a temporary slowdown in India due to short-term market saturation. However, Ekholm remains confident in the country’s fundamentals. “The underlying demand for wireless connectivity in India continues to grow,” he noted.
He described India’s 5G rollout as “probably the fastest scale-up anywhere in the world,” which temporarily impacted the company’s performance in its Southeast Asia, Oceania, and India market segment.
Backing a Three-Player Market Structure
Ekholm welcomed the Indian government’s equity conversion in Vodafone Idea as a move toward financial stability in the telecom space. He reiterated Ericsson’s support for a three-player market, arguing that fewer, financially strong players ensure better investments in technology.
“A financially stronger Vodafone Idea, with improved equity, will become a more competitive company,” Ekholm stated, while refraining from speculating on internal changes at the telco.
Path to 5G Monetization and Enterprise Growth
On monetization, Ekholm believes real returns from 5G will come through standalone (SA) networks and network slicing, which enable differentiated services like ultra-low latency and high reliability. He also identified Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) as a key early use case for 5G in India. “FWA is possibly the first killer app for 5G, and customer response has been positive,” he said.
Enterprise applications are also emerging, with Ericsson recently securing a 5G deployment deal with Jaguar Land Rover in the UK—an example with strong ties to India. “We’re starting to see real use cases, especially in digital manufacturing,” he added.
Investing in the Future: 6G on the Horizon
Looking ahead, Ericsson is already investing heavily in 6G research and development. While standardization is expected to begin in 2026 and commercial rollout by 2030, Ekholm emphasized that unlocking the full potential of 5G remains the company’s immediate focus.
