As enterprises across India and the world prepare for 2026, industry leaders point to a decisive shift in how digital infrastructure, intelligence, and trust are shaping the next phase of growth. From telecom networks and data centers to AI-native enterprises and edge devices, the message is consistent: scale alone is no longer enough, resilience, agility, and purpose-built innovation now define competitive advantage.
Dr. Badri Gomatam, Group Chief Technology Officer at Sterlite Technologies Limited (STL), highlights how intelligence-led systems and faster decision-making are converging with trust across teams and technologies to create a more sustainable growth model for enterprises worldwide. “In 2026, India’s digital infrastructure is set to accelerate as AI-driven workloads redefine data center architectures, 5G networks reach new regions, and national connectivity programs close the rural digital divide. Telecom operators will prioritize solutions that offer greater capacity, lower latency, faster rollout, and long-term scalability. A strong move is expected toward pre-connected and spliceless optical systems, higher-density fiber designs, and next-generation technologies such as ultra-thin, hollow-core, and multicore fibers. At STL, we are preparing for this next phase of connected growth by expanding our portfolio for AI-ready data centers, advancing large-scale 5G deployments, and deepening our contribution to national broadband missions. Our goal is to help customers build efficient, resilient, and future-ready digital networks that can meet India’s growing data needs and its vision of a truly connected economy.”
Echoing this view, Naveen Bolalingappa, CEO of STL Digital, emphasizes that the next wave of enterprise transformation will be defined by embedded intelligence and outcome-driven innovation rather than scale-based delivery models. “As we move into 2026, enterprises are shifting to an AI native world where intelligence is embedded into every facet of digital transformation, from engineering and operations to customer experience and decision making. Cloud, hybrid, and edge ecosystems will continue to merge, creating environments where data moves more intelligently, and security models become predictive and preventive rather than reactive. The industry is also moving clearly toward outcome-focused and domain-specific solutions. Clients increasingly look for measurable value and industry depth instead of scale or manpower. With low code, no code, and AI agents enabling business users to participate directly in innovation, IT teams will take on the role of strategic enablers, guiding platforms, governance, and responsible AI practices. Sustainability, transparency, and trust will become non-negotiable in how enterprises choose their technology partners. At STL Digital, we believe the way forward lies in bringing together intelligence, agility, and trust. Our AI, cloud, cybersecurity and engineering capabilities help enterprises enter this new era with confidence, delivering innovation that is secure, sustainable and strongly aligned with real business outcomes.”
Also read: 10 AI Breakthroughs That Will Define Enterprise Autonomy by 2026
From a telecom infrastructure perspective, Mahendra Nahata, Managing Director of HFCL, points to the sheer scale of India’s data and connectivity growth, calling fiberization and deployment speed critical to survival rather than optional upgrades. “The telecommunications infrastructure landscape has reached a critical threshold where capacity, density, and deployment speed determine competitive advantage. India installed over 5 lakh 5G base stations, achieving 85% population coverage, while total wireless data reached 65,009 petabytes in Q2 2025, an unprecedented surge that makes fiberization not optional but existential for network quality. Simultaneously, hyperscale operators now command 44% of global data center capacity with 1,189 large facilities, and this concentration is accelerating. HFCL recognized early that these parallel infrastructure buildouts would require fundamentally different but equally critical solutions. Our response has been deliberate: maximizing production capacity across our manufacturing facilities in India to serve domestic demand from BharatNet and 5G densification globally, while simultaneously ramping up Intermittently Bonded Ribbon cable manufacturing, a technology that enables mass fusion splicing and multiplies fiber density compared to traditional cables. This cable is specifically engineered for hyperscale data center interconnects where installation speed and space constraints are paramount.
Beyond fiber infrastructure, HFCL has emerged as the first company in India to design, develop, and manufacture 5G Fixed Wireless Access equipment for giga-speed wireless broadband connectivity. We have already supplied more than half a million 5G FWA units in the current year across leading 5G operators in the country, enabling rapid last-mile deployment without fiber-to-the-home constraints. This positions us uniquely at the intersection of wireless and wireline convergence. In the backbone infrastructure space, our IP/MPLS Router solutions command more than 60% market share in BharatNet, connecting subscribers from Himachal Pradesh to Andaman & Nicobar Islands in one of the largest deployments of IP/MPLS Routers anywhere. This demonstrates our capability to deliver mission-critical networking equipment at scale across India’s most challenging geographies. We have systematically expanded into Europe and North America, while building local partnerships as global hyperscale capacity expands rapidly to support AI and cloud workloads. HFCL has positioned itself comprehensively—from rural connectivity to high-density data center interconnects, from active 5G equipment to passive fiber infrastructure, from edge routers to core networking—with the manufacturing depth, technology leadership, and global footprint required to help define, and defend, the infrastructure standards of the digital economy.”
On the device and semiconductor front, Anku Jain, Managing Director of MediaTek India, describes India’s growing role as both a consumption powerhouse and an innovation hub, particularly as intelligence moves directly onto devices. “As 2026 approaches, India has emerged as a global engine of digital innovation, with consumers demanding flagship performance and hyper-intelligent experiences. Intelligence is rapidly democratizing, we are empowering users with ‘On-Device Generative AI’. Generative and Agentic AI will soon become central to edge-device experiences, while 5G and satellite (NTN) convergence will ensure seamless connectivity, even in the remotest areas. At MediaTek, we see India as both a key market and a hub of engineering excellence, shaping the global semiconductor landscape. With deep R&D roots, we are advancing 5G and edge AI through the Dimensity 5G series and driving smart vehicle innovation via Dimensity Auto. From smartphones and intelligent homes to satellite connectivity and next-gen automotive platforms, MediaTek is enabling a smarter, more connected world.”
Bringing a broader leadership perspective, CP Gurnani, Co-Founder and Vice Chairman of AIONOS, reflects on how 2025 marked a turning point in enterprise technology adoption, setting the stage for a more human-centric digital future. “As we close the year, it’s clear that real progress isn’t driven by isolated breakthroughs, but by consistent intent. 2025 marked a turning point as AI moved from experimentation to enterprise execution. As we enter 2026, the convergence of AI, quantum computing, edge intelligence, and human-centric design will define a new era, one where technology scales not just businesses, but human potential. For leaders, the mandate is clear: move beyond adopting new tools and focus on aligning technology with business goals, trust, and long-term impact.”
