Sashakt: Expanding Opportunities Charting the Course for Digital Inclusion at India Mobile Congress 2026

The India Mobile Congress 2026 revolves around the innovative theme 'Scale Without Boundaries,' aiming to address the necessity for equitable digital access and groundbreaking connectivity methods. Over a four-day period, engaging sessions will delve into topics like autonomous networks and the role of AI in telecommunications, featuring insights from influential figures in the industry and global policymakers.

As the India Mobile Congress (IMC) convenes in New Delhi for its landmark 10th edition, the theme Scale Without Boundaries serves as both a mandate and a reflection of the global telecommunications landscape.

Recognised as Asia's premier technology and telecom forum, IMC 2026 is anchored by core foundational pillars designed to address the multifaceted future of connectivity. Among these, the third pillar, Sashakt: Expanding Opportunities, is dedicated to democratising access, fostering sustainability, and transforming advanced infrastructure into tangible socioeconomic value. The track explores how innovation can cross borders and benefit every citizen.

Spanning four days from October 7 to 10, the Sashakt sessions will gather industry leaders, global policymakers, and leading technologists to debate the frameworks that will define this equitable digital future. What follows is an editorial overview of this pivotal conference track.

Day 1: October 7, 2026: Foundations of autonomous and edge connectivity

The opening day establishes a technical foundation, beginning with the comprehensive "COAI Dialogues: The Path to Zero-Touch Networks." This three-part session on autonomous networks features insights from experts including Brad Riapolov (Senior Sales Engineer, DriveNets), Erol Goctu (Head of Business Development, BCSS MSN BPD Business Development, Ericsson), Kartik Kashyap (Leader Systems Engineering, Arista Networks), Sathish Kumar M (Vice President & Head of ERS Telecom Practice, HCL Technologies Limited), and Atul Joshi (Head of Telecom - AWS India South Asia), emphasising the industry's shift toward self-optimising infrastructure.

The afternoon transitions to Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) technologies with

"Intelligent RAN for Smart and Adaptive Connectivity." Split into two segments, it draws on the technical expertise of Neeraj Rana (Country Manager, Anritsu India Pvt. Ltd.), Chandresh Ruparel (General Manager - Telecom Infrastructure Division, Data Centre Group, Intel Corporation), Alexander Pabst (6G Application Manager, Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG), Prasad Petkar (Wireless Solutions Manager,Keysight Technologies), Sandeep Agrawal (Head of Products & Platforms, Network Solutions and Services, Tata Consultancy Services), Stephen Hire (Vice President, Solutions and Partnerships, VIAVI Solutions), Ramesh Sriraman (Chief Architec, HCL Technologies Ltd.), and Thiaw Seng Ng (Head of NS Network Evolution, Market Area South East Asia Oceania and India, Ericsson).

Concluding the day's agenda,

Day 2: October 8, 2026: The GSMA perspectives on trust, AI, and innovation

The second day focuses on GSMA-led initiatives, commencing with "Digital Trust as a National Capability." This cybersecurity discussion is spearheaded by Jeanette Whyte (Head of Public Policy & External Affairs, APAC, GSMA), Jaijit Bhattacharyya (President, Centre for Digital Economy Policy Research), and John Vincent Giusti (Chief Regulatory Officer, GSMA). The conversation then shifts to next-generation operations in "AI-Native Telecom Networks: Intelligence, Automation, and Accountability," presented by Nakshatra Gupta (Solution Head, Network Solutions and Services, Tata Consultancy Services), Deepa Ramachandran (Head of Strategy for Autonomous Networks portfolio, Nokia), and Debashish Chakraborty (Senior Director - Advocacy and Industry Engagement, GSMA).

Subsequently, the agenda addresses the collaborative power of application programming interfaces in "From Trust to Performance: Unlocking Enterprise Value with Network APIs and the Role of Ecosystem Collaboration," featuring Rajagopalan Rajappa (CTO of Communication Technologies and Platforms, Tata Elxsi) and Sridhar Gollapudi (Global Telco Market Lead, Google Cloud, Google). The day culminates with an authoritative presentation by Peter Jarich (Head of GSMA Intelligence, GSMA), titled "Monetising AI: Tapping Indian Innovation."

Day 3: October 9, 2026: Standardisation, 6G, and future economics

Friday morning introduces an extended session on structural integrity: "Implementing ITU Standards for Combating Fraudulent Communications," led by Chris Wendt and Seizo Onoe. The afternoon ventures into the frontier of next-generation connectivity with discussions on "6G Spectrum Dominance and Electromagnetic Battlespace." Atul Joshi returns to address financial imperatives in "Managing Economics of AI Networks," followed by Ashwani Bhat (Solution Head, Network Solutions and Services, Tata Consultancy Services) and Kunal Shukla (Research Leader , GFTL Advanced Technology APAC, Ericsson) exploring broader integrations in "Integrating the Network API Economy." Acknowledging the environmental impact of this digital expansion, the day closes with an essential session on sustainability: "Rethinking the Energy Future of Networks and Data Centres," featuring Thiaw Seng Ng and Payal Mittal.

Day 4: October 10, 2026: Bridging the digital divide

The Sashakt programming concludes on Saturday with a final track: "Extra Mile for the Last Mile (CGCA)." This discourse addresses the ongoing challenges and strategies for achieving ubiquitous connectivity, ensuring that the sophisticated technologies discussed throughout the week ultimately empower rural and underserved communities.

Follow IMC 2026 with ET for live updates and insights.