Ericsson to Export India-Made Antennas to Europe for 6G

Ericsson plans to export India-made antennas to Europe as rapid 5G adoption strengthens the country’s position for 6G, while AI-ready and programmable networks support the next phase of telecom growth.

Swedish telecom equipment maker Ericsson plans to export antennas manufactured in India to European markets, highlighting the country’s growing role in its global manufacturing and technology ecosystem. The announcement comes as India’s rapid 5G deployment provides a strong foundation for the transition towards next-generation 6G networks.

Speaking at India Mobile Congress 2026, Andres Vicente, Senior Vice President and Head of Market Area South East Asia, Oceania and India at Ericsson, says India has developed a competitive advantage in moving towards 6G. He points to the country’s extensive 5G infrastructure, noting that mid-band 5G coverage reaches around 95% of the population, compared with about 45% globally.

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Vicente says the completion of India’s transition to 5G Standalone provides an important technological foundation for future network evolution. The country’s networks are increasingly cloud-driven and programmable, enabling differentiated connectivity and creating capabilities that can support the development of 6G technologies.

Ericsson has been expanding its manufacturing capabilities in India for several decades. The company starts manufacturing in the country in 1994 and currently produces 4G and 5G radios domestically. It also manufactures antennas supporting massive MIMO and AI-enabled network applications. The company now plans to extend these India-based capabilities to European markets through exports.

The expansion strengthens India’s position within Ericsson’s global supply chain. The company says more than 15,000 antennas and 25 million components have been produced in India since July 2025, with India-made antennas already reaching Europe and other international markets. The local ecosystem spans sourcing, engineering, manufacturing and exports.

India’s strong 5G adoption further supports this expansion. The country has around 430 million 5G mobile subscriptions, accounting for 35% of total mobile subscriptions, while 43% of mobile data traffic is carried on 5G. Average mobile data usage stands at about 35 GB per customer, with demand continuing to rise across applications such as video and gaming.

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AI is also emerging as a major driver of telecom infrastructure development. Ericsson says networks need to become more intelligent, autonomous and efficient to support AI applications. Greater computing capacity, improved uplink performance and lower latency are expected to become increasingly important for applications such as autonomous vehicles and drones.

The developments reinforce India’s growing importance as a manufacturing, engineering and innovation hub for Ericsson while positioning the country to contribute more significantly to global telecom supply chains and the emerging 6G ecosystem.