India Mobile Congress 2026 will put the country's telecom policy direction, its 6G ambitions and the build-out of AI infrastructure at the centre of the industry's agenda, according to BW Businessworld.

The three themes mark a shift in emphasis for India's flagship telecom event. Where previous editions concentrated heavily on 5G deployment and network rollout, the 2026 agenda points policymakers, operators and vendors toward the next set of questions: how India positions itself in 6G standardisation, and how the telecom sector supplies the compute and connectivity that AI workloads demand.

Why does the 2026 agenda matter?

India has been one of the fastest markets in the world to scale 5G, and the conversation is now moving earlier in the technology cycle. Placing 6G on the IMC 2026 agenda signals that Indian operators, equipment makers and government bodies intend to be present in the standards and spectrum debates that will define the next generation, rather than adopting it after the fact.

AI infrastructure is the second pillar. Operators and policymakers globally are weighing how data centres, edge compute and high-capacity transport networks absorb AI-driven traffic. For India, with its large subscriber base and state-backed digital programmes, the question is how domestic infrastructure investment keeps pace with demand from both consumers and enterprises.

Telecom policy completes the triad. India's regulatory framework is under continuous revision as the market consolidates and new services blur the lines between connectivity, compute and applications. An IMC agenda that names policy explicitly suggests regulators and operators will use the event to air positions on spectrum assignment, licensing and investment conditions.

What does this mean for operators and vendors?

For operators, the agenda sets expectations that the next phase of Indian telecom competition will be fought over network intelligence and compute adjacency, not coverage alone. For vendors, it frames IMC 2026 as a showcase opportunity for 6G research output and AI-ready network equipment.

For the government, the event offers a platform to align its stated 6G ambitions with concrete policy instruments. How far those ambitions translate into funded research programmes, spectrum roadmaps or standards participation will become clearer as the event approaches.

The industry will be watching IMC 2026 for signs of whether India's 6G and AI infrastructure talk converts into contracts, spectrum decisions and policy timelines over the coming year.