The India telecom industry is on the verge of a monumental transformation, fueled by the recent recommendations from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). Consequently, AI is set to become the driving force behind the ground-breaking advancements in the Indian telecom industry, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s Indian telecom operators country intelligence report projects the Indian telecom market to record an impressive 2.4% CAGR, reaching to $41.1 billion in 2026. With such momentum, the convergence of AI and telecommunications promises to shape the industry’s future, providing a distinct competitive edge to operators who embrace and harness its potential.

Shri Charan Padala, Principal Analyst in the Thematic Intelligence team at GlobalData, comments: “As data volumes surge, network capacity struggles to keep pace with the escalating demand. However, with strategic implementation of AI in crucial areas like network management, the sector can elevate its quality of service (QoS), optimize spectrum management, enhance network security, and bolster overall reliability.”

One of AI’s key advantages is the creation of self-optimizing networks, swiftly adapting to fluctuating traffic loads. By leveraging advanced AI technologies, telecom operators can rapidly detect and resolve network anomalies, significantly minimizing the risk of service disruptions. This is particularly critical for industry giants like Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio, where seamless service delivery is paramount for customer satisfaction and revenue preservation.

Padala adds: “A mounting concern in India’s telecom landscape is the surge in SIM card swapping fraud, leading to financial losses due to unauthorized transactions. However, AI offers a compelling solution. Emerging technologies such as embedded SIM (eSIM) have shown promise in mitigating risks by neutralizing the physical SIM card’s vulnerability to tampering and misuse. In synergy with these advancements, AI further empowers telecom operators to proactively combat fraudulent activities.

Through automated monitoring and real-time analysis, AI algorithms can efficiently identify suspicious transactions, promptly taking countermeasures to thwart potential fraudsters. Moreover, AI’s capabilities extend beyond reactionary measures, enabling continuous monitoring and optimization of SIM security features, ensuring subscribers’ data remains impervious to breaches.

Padala concludes: “As AI takes center stage in India’s telecom industry, it heralds a new era of unprecedented growth and fortification against emerging challenges. By embracing the power of AI, the Indian telecom industry can elevate customer experiences, safeguard revenues, and fortify the security of sensitive subscriber data, thereby creating a win-win scenario for operators and consumers alike.”