Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) is expanding its footprint in India with the launch of a new Radio Access Network (RAN) Software Research & Development (R&D) center in Bengaluru. This move builds on a series of recent R&D investments in the country, highlighting both India’s deep talent pool and Ericsson’s long-term commitment to local and global markets. The new Bengaluru unit will initially focus on developing 5G and 5G Advanced features for Ericsson’s 5G baseband products, working closely with the company’s global RAN software teams.
Bengaluru—one of India’s fastest-growing technology hubs—is renowned for its highly skilled software engineering workforce and its concentration of major global telecom players. This vibrant ecosystem makes the city an ideal location for expanding Ericsson’s R&D operations.
Nitin Bansal, Managing Director of Ericsson India and Head of Network Solutions for the Market Area covering South East Asia, Oceania, and India, said: “Establishing this RAN software R&D center in India marks an important milestone in strengthening our research capabilities in the country. While we tap into India’s exceptional software talent, we are also helping build the nation’s telecom knowledge base and innovation ecosystem.”
David Bjore, Head of RAN Software & Compute Platforms at Ericsson, added: “This latest investment underscores India’s strategic importance in developing next-generation technologies. We’re deepening our partnerships in Bengaluru, Chennai, and Gurugram, and for the first time, we will build RAN software in India. This is a major step that not only supports India’s growing tech landscape but also enables us to develop solutions locally that can make a global impact.”
Ericsson’s broader R&D efforts in India include the recent expansion of its ASIC development program announced in June 2025, aimed at strengthening the country’s semiconductor ecosystem. These initiatives reflect Ericsson’s commitment to advancing high-performance programmable networks.
The company is also partnering with Volvo and Airtel to integrate XR and Digital Twin technologies at Volvo’s Bengaluru R&D Center. In addition, its collaboration with IIT Madras focuses on AI research for 6G—particularly Responsible AI frameworks—while partnerships with the Indian Statistical Institute and IIT Kharagpur explore cyber-physical systems, AI-driven networks, secure communications, and edge computing.
For more than 120 years, Ericsson has been instrumental in shaping India’s telecom industry—from introducing GSM services in 1994 to supporting the rollout of 5G and launching the India 6G program with a dedicated R&D team at its Chennai center in 2024.
Globally, Ericsson invests about USD 5 billion annually in R&D, reinforcing its leadership in 5G and emerging technologies. Its R&D sites in Chennai, Bengaluru, and Gurugram support key telecom domains including Transport, Packet Core, OSS, BSS, Cloud, and advanced AI solutions.
