India’s 5G expansion is expected to gain momentum in 2026 as global network vendors Nokia and Ericsson anticipate a rebound in telecom investment, Moneycontrol reports. The next phase of growth will be driven by large-scale network capacity upgrades, rollouts in rural areas, and a push by operators to monetize 5G use cases as network utilization continues to rise. Nokia estimates that about 40% of potential 5G sites are yet to be deployed, offering ample room for expansion.

Market outlook: 2026 will likely be a stronger year for network rollouts and monetization as more 5G sites become operational across the country, Nokia India head Tarun Chhabra told the news outlet. Telecom operators are expected to focus on standalone 5G and mid-band expansion to support both industrial and consumer applications, Ericsson India’s head Andres Vicente noted. Rural connectivity and fixed-wireless access will be key drivers of the next phase of India’s 5G growth, the news outlet reports, citing market analysts.

INVESTMENTS-

Andhra Pradesh will sign 410 MoUs worth INR 9.8 tn (USD 111.5 bn) at the Vizag partnership summit this week, and will ground each project within a year, state IT Minister Nara Lokesh told Economic Times. The southern Indian state is positioning the summit as the “Davos of India,” targeting full investment inflows within three to seven years.

Capital magnet: Andhra has already secured USD 120 bn in firm commitments — including USD 15 bn for Google’s Vizag data center cluster — and wants to scale up to USD 1 tn, according to Lokesh.

PHARMA-

Yet another investment win for Vizag: Hyderabad-based drug maker Laurus Labs will invest some USD 567 mn to build a large-scale pharma manufacturing complex in Vizag after securing 532 acres from the Andhra Pradesh state government, CEO Satyanarayana Chava told The Hindu Businessline. The company will deploy roughly USD 600 mn over eight years and could scale higher if required as project execution advances.

The company is also fast-tracking major fermentation capacity in Vizag — shifting planned capacity from the southern regions of Mysore to Andhra Pradesh, citing stronger industrial infrastructure and ready waste treatment facilities in the port city.

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