Forging the next-gen digital future

As India's digital economy surges, IP/Optical Convergence is set to transform networks, enabling high-speed, low-latency connectivity for a tech-driven world

- GIRISH BHATIA

Powered by a significant drop in smartphone prices and relatively cheaper mobile data tariffs, the digital revolution is redefining how Indians work, live, and entertain themselves. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated the adoption of digital infrastructure, hastening the shift to online platforms.

During the last few years, the Government of India has introduced several initiatives, including Digital India, to promote a digital way of life. The government is also investing heavily in building various digital platform infrastructures (DPIs), such as Aadhaar and the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), to bolster the digital economy and drive socio-economic development.

Also, the growing adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools by businesses and individuals is set to propel the country’s digital economy. The Indian AI market reached USD 4.1 billion in 2023, according to data shared by Statista. With a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25–35%, India’s AI market is projected to reach approximately USD 17 billion by 2027, as per a report by the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) and the Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

This surge in digitisation, alongside evolving consumer behaviour, is driving unprecedented data consumption, necessitating a paradigm shift in the country’s communication networks. The increasing popularity of video streaming, online gaming, e-learning, and remote work has caused a massive rise in bandwidth demand, which the traditional network infrastructure cannot adequately support.