Airtel Showcases AI-Powered Digital India Vision to PM Modi at 2026 Summit

During the visit to the Airtel Arena, the Prime Minister was briefed on how the company embeds intelligence across its networks, cloud, and cybersecurity platforms. Under the leadership of Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman and Founder of Bharti Enterprises, the company showcased its strategy for building an "AI-first Digital Bharat".

The company is currently integrating AI across its digital foundations to enhance the resilience of its national infrastructure. The organisation is embedding intelligence at scale "responsibly, securely and sustainably" to support citizens, businesses, and government operations.

This infrastructure includes a "sovereign, 'built in India' cloud" designed to ensure full data residency and operational control within the country. The cloud platform is architected for AI workloads and real-time analytics, reportedly delivering up to 40 per cent savings compared to traditional cloud services by integrating network and cloud functions.

A central component of this digital backbone is Nxtra by Airtel, which operates 14 large core data centers in metros such as Chennai, Mumbai, and Noida, alongside over 120 edge data centers. The facility in Chennai has become the first in India to deploy AI for operational excellence, driving predictive maintenance and energy efficiency. The company stated it is the "only data center company in RE100" and aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2031 through the adoption of green energy.

On the cybersecurity front, Airtel has launched an AI-powered fraud-fighting network that analyses traffic patterns in real-time to identify scams. Since its launch in September 2024, the filter flagged over 71 billion spam calls and 2.9 billion spam messages. This system has contributed to a "14.3% drop in cybercrime complaints from Airtel users and a 68.7% reduction in financial loss from fraud".

The security stack utilises a Zero Trust architecture and an intelligent Security Operations Center to provide continuous monitoring of critical national assets.

For consumer applications, the company is using AI to turn idle TV screens into smart surfaces and has partnered with Adobe to provide AI-enhanced design tools to its mobile and WiFi customers. These initiatives aim to democratize creativity and redefine home entertainment across the country.

- ANI