India has further strengthened its position as a top telecom market for Ericsson, with its revenue contribution increasing due to scale, sustained mobile operator investments, and rapid technology evolution.
In Q1 2026, Ericsson generated SEK 3.944 billion in revenue from India, contributing 8 percent to global revenue and making it the second-largest market after the United States, which accounts for 39 percent. Other key markets include the United Kingdom (4 percent), Japan (4 percent), and China (3 percent), highlighting India’s outsized role in Ericsson’s global business.
India’s contribution to Ericsson’s quarterly revenue was 7 percent of global sales in Q1-2025, 4 percent in Q2-2025, 5 percent in Q3-2025 and 5 percent in Q4-2025.
Ericsson’s South East Asia, Oceania and India region has 25,100 employees in Q1-2026 as compared with 25,189 in Q4-2025, 25,358 in Q3-2025, 25,591 in Q3-2025 and 25,991 in Q1-2025.
India’s importance is rooted in its transition from one of the fastest 5G rollouts globally to a “measured growth” phase focused on monetization and network intelligence. While Ericsson reported global sales of SEK 49.3 billion, down 10 percent year-on-year, the company achieved 6 percent organic growth, supported by resilient demand in markets such as India. The South East Asia, Oceania and India region contributed about 12 percent of global sales and recorded 12 percent organic growth, although reported sales declined 4 percent due to currency impacts.
India continues to drive Ericsson’s core Networks business, which grew 7 percent organically, with higher equipment deliveries and strong demand for capacity expansion as 5G data traffic surges. The market is also contributing to Cloud Software and Services growth through core network upgrades and software-led deployments aligned with 5G strategies.
The country’s telecom landscape is now shifting toward 5G monetization. India is expected to expand its 5G subscriber base from 394 million in 2025 to over 1 billion by 2031, with 79 percent penetration. Revenue opportunities are being driven by fixed wireless access for broadband, network slicing for differentiated services, and private 5G networks for enterprises and mission-critical applications.
India’s growing data appetite further reinforces its strategic value. Monthly data traffic is projected to rise from 36 EB in 2025 to 65 EB by 2031, representing a 10 percent CAGR, fueled by video consumption and on-device generative AI use cases.
At the innovation level, Ericsson is advancing AI-native radios, network APIs, and early 6G research, with Indian operators leveraging programmable networks to create new services. Combined with aggressive capex cycles and ongoing modernization, these factors position India as a long-term growth engine and one of Ericsson’s most critical telecom markets.
BABURAJAN KIZHAKEDATH