Hiring local talent, Nokia eyes to expand its R&D in India, partnering with BSNL to offer advanced telecom training, boosting India’s role in the global tech revolution.
Nokia is expanding its research and development (R&D) centre in India, with plans to hire more local talent. Tarun Chhabra, Country Manager for Nokia India, confirmed the initiative at a government event on Monday, highlighting the company’s commitment to the Indian market for over 30 years.
The Finnish telecom gear manufacturer’s R&D centre currently employs 8000 people, and another 4000 support global operations from India. Chhabra emphasised the importance of skilling local talent and offering employment opportunities within the company’s R&D teams.
The announcement is part of an ongoing collaboration with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), India’s state-run telecom company. Nokia, along with Ericsson, Qualcomm, and Cisco, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to advance telecom training in India.
Under this partnership, Nokia will train 300 students annually in 5G and AI applications.
The agreement will establish specialised training programmes in 5G, AI, machine learning, and digital technologies at BSNL’s Bharat Ratna Bhim Rao Ambedkar Institute of Telecom Training (BRBRAITT) in Jabalpur.
Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia expressed his support for the initiative, linking it to the Prime Minister’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India). He described the partnership as a crucial step towards India’s transition from a service-based to a product-focused sector.
