India a ‘front-runner’ market, plans to deepen AI and manufacturing presence: Ericsson CEO
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Ericsson CEO Börje Ekholm said the company is increasingly leveraging India not just as a key telecom market, but also as a global hub for AI-driven R&D and manufacturing.
- Ericsson sees India as a key market for AI, 6G, and manufacturing
- Company plans to expand R&D and manufacturing presence in India
- India’s ecosystem growth seen as vital for global competitiveness
Swedish telecom gear maker Ericsson said India is a front-runner market for the company and that it plans to deepen its presence as the country sharpens its focus on AI, 6G and electronics manufacturing.
In an interview with Moneycontrol at the Mobile World Congress, Ericsson CEO Börje Ekholm said the company is increasingly leveraging India not just as a key telecom market, but also as a global hub for AI-driven R&D and manufacturing.
Ekholm said India’s manufacturing competitiveness will depend on how effectively it builds out the broader ecosystem, including component suppliers. Edited excerpts
Q: How do you see the Indian market right now? There is more stability after relief for Vodafone Idea. Do you see more business opportunities for Ericsson?
India is a very important market for us. It’s a key strategic market. The reason, of course, is the scale of India is big. But what’s even more interesting today is how fast it’s actually leading on technology as well.
We need to be very close to our customers in India to be on the forefront — and that’s what we’re trying to do. Our commitment to India is very strong. We want to continue to grow our presence and be stronger there, because it is a front-runner market.
Q: There is a strong push on AI, and 6G is also coming. How do you see India as a hub for AI development? How is Ericsson leveraging India for AI and 6G?
We think it’s really exciting. India is very strong in the capabilities underlying AI, and we’re starting to see that happening. On 6G, we’re investing heavily. It’s going to come. But I would also take a step back — a lot of the performance you can get with 6G, you actually get already today in 5G standalone.
That’s why rolling out 5G standalone is so important. Once you do that, it becomes the backbone of how you create physical AI. And that’s going to happen in the next two to three years — before we get 6G. So we can’t wait for 6G. I know there’s excitement about 6G — we’re also excited, and we invest in it — but we need to see commercial applications happening already now.
Q: How do you plan to use India’s R&D base for AI development?
As you know, India is actually our largest country from a headcount point of view. We continue to invest there and grow our presence. For us, it’s critical.
Q: India wants to play a larger role in 6G standardization and has a target of contributing 10% of global IP. How do you see this?
There are many countries who want to participate in 6G. What we try to do is make sure the ecosystem comes together — the infrastructure, the devices, the applications — all need to exist together. We’ve done that for the first five generations. That’s our key role going forward.
What roles countries are going to play depends on engagement — where do we have capabilities, where are those situated, etc. I hope everyone can drive 6G as a standard. But the key is having a strong migration path from 5G into 6G. That’s actually the key.
Q: How do you see the ongoing geopolitical and tariff situation? Will it impact the industry and investments?
So far, I would say geopolitical uncertainty is something we just need to act according to. We try to build a supply chain that’s flexible enough to handle different outcomes. So far, we’ve managed.
We continue to focus on managing that situation. I often say, from a geopolitical point of view, we’re takers. We can’t shape that — it’s going to be shaped by others — so we just need to be flexible on our side.
Q: There have been calls for Europe to become independent of U.S. technology in AI and chips. Do you think continents need sovereign technology stacks?
I think it’s a dangerous way to approach the situation. I don’t think any country can be fully sovereign. You need to be on the technology curve. You need to use the latest technologies. If you say you want to be sovereign and you use yesterday’s technology, you’re not going to be competitive.
That’s why we need to figure out a way where we use American technology in Europe as well — because it’s the only way to be a leader. It’s all about how you compete in the future. I cannot compete with old models, old chipsets, etc. I need the latest. The notion of creating this sovereign approach doesn’t work. We need to work in an ecosystem where we depend on each other.
Then the question becomes — where can Europe win? We could win in physical AI. For example, creating the best applications and devices for AI. That’s where Europe has a real chance to win — not in duplicating American technology.
Q: You’ve invested in manufacturing in India and leveraged the PLI scheme through partners like Jabil. How do you see India’s role in global supply chains?
India already has a big impact. That’s what you see in our supply chain — that’s why we built the factory there. We have big R&D facilities in India. For me, it’s about the investments made in education in India, and digitalizing the country. That is now helping position India really well for AI.
If we can build out the broader ecosystem — including component suppliers — India will be very competitive. The reality is proof. We are one part of the ecosystem, but there are many component suppliers as well. If that ecosystem is built out, it becomes very competitive.
Q: What are the four key focus areas for Ericsson over the next year?
For us, it’s all about physical AI — having AI move into use cases, applications, devices. Put simply, we want to provide the best networks for AI.
Q: How is AI impacting telecom networking?
As I see it, the first phase of the AI rollout was really building out the data centers and getting the chips right, etc. Now we’re moving into telecom. And then it becomes a question of how do you monetize the network? How do we build it out? That’s what you see at the show.
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