India expands telecom manufacturing with Ericsson exports and new Gwalior zone

India is strengthening its telecommunications manufacturing capabilities through both private sector milestones and major government infrastructure projects. Ericsson has announced that its local ecosystem in India has produced over 15,000 antennas and 25 million components since July 2025. The company is now exporting this made-in-India equipment to international markets, including Europe, to support 5G Standalone and AI-driven network architectures.

Simultaneously, the Indian government is advancing the development of Asia’s first Telecom Manufacturing Zone (TMZ) in Gwalior. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to lay the foundation stone for the project on October 29. The TMZ is designed as an integrated industrial cluster for telecom equipment, semiconductors, and optical fiber, utilizing a plug-and-play model to facilitate rapid operations.

The Gwalior project has already attracted investment proposals exceeding Rs 5,500 crore and is expected to create more than 18,000 jobs. The initiative is a collaborative effort between the Department of Telecommunications and the Madhya Pradesh government, aimed at reducing reliance on imported technology and positioning India as a global hub for 5G and 6G technologies.