Telecom equipment giant Nokia has announced plans to significantly expand its research and development (R&D) centre in India.
The company will increase local hiring and invest in advanced training initiatives to support both domestic and global service operations.
Speaking at a government-led event, Tarun Chhabra, Country Manager of Nokia India, emphasized the strategic importance of India in Nokia’s global footprint.
“We are going to hire more people in our R&D centre. Other than the R&D centre of about 8,000 people, we have around 4,000 people supporting global service operations from India. It means there is a huge opportunity,” he said.
Focus on 5G, AI, and Cybersecurity
The expansion is closely tied to Nokia’s focus on emerging technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and cybersecurity.
These domains are increasingly central to telecom innovation, and Nokia aims to build a future-ready workforce capable of driving transformation across networks and services.
Tarun noted that cybersecurity has become a top priority for telecom operators globally.
Nokia’s R&D efforts in India will play a critical role in developing secure, scalable solutions for next-generation networks.
Nokia Strategic Collaboration with BSNL and Industry Peers
As part of its broader skilling and innovation agenda, Nokia has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with BSNL, alongside other telecom leaders including Ericsson, Cisco, and Qualcomm.
The collaboration will roll out advanced training programs at BSNL’s apex institute—Bharat Ratna Bhim Rao Ambedkar Institute of Telecom Training (BRBRAITT) in Jabalpur.
Under this initiative, Nokia will train 300 students annually in areas such as 5G radio, core networks, and AI/ML applications.
A newly established 5G Centre of Excellence and AI/ML Lab will deliver the training, and the Telecom Sector Skill Council will provide joint certification.
Alignment with National Vision and Workforce Development
Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia hailed the initiative as a key step toward realizing the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision.
He described the collaboration as “the beginning of a new journey” that will enable India’s human resource potential to become part of the international telecom value chain.
The training programs are expected to contribute to national missions such as Digital India, Skill India, and Make in India, while also supporting India’s transition from a services-led telecom model to a product and innovation-driven ecosystem.
Nokia India Expansion: Long-Term Impact and Industry Outlook
Nokia’s expansion in India goes beyond scaling operations.
It marks a strategic shift toward fostering local innovation, developing talent, and strengthening global integration.
The company is investing in skilling and research and development.
Through these efforts, it aims to position India as a leading hub for telecom research and product innovation.
The move also signals growing confidence in India’s ability to support high-value, technology-intensive roles, and may encourage other global firms to deepen their presence in the country.
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