Private 5G is essential to Industry 4.0, says Tech Mahindra; here, it discusses its expanding private 5G portfolio with global enterprises, as well as big opportunities in its home market – despite spectrum hurdles in India.
In sum – what to know:
Record – deployments span auto plants, logistics hubs, and smart factories with global partners.
Forecast – India’s private 5G market is will more than double to reach $674.6 million by 2030.
Problem – private 5G spectrum access remains tied to operators, limiting enterprise flexibility.
India-based system integrator Tech Mahindra is betting big on private 5G as a catalyst for Industry 4.0, positioning the technology as critical for enterprises seeking secure, low-latency connectivity and greater control of their networks. The company is delivering private 5G globally through partnerships with operators, hyperscalers, and equipment vendors – including India’s first 5G-enabled auto plant with Airtel.
With applications spanning manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare, it points to research that says the market in India will more than double, from $30.6 million in 2023 to $674.6 million by 2030. But, as RCR Wireless has discussed in recent weeks, spectrum access remains an issue, tied to mobile operators, which limits flexibility for enterprises. No matter, the Indian industrial enterprise market holds considerable potential – as Amol Phadke, chief transformation officer at Tech Mahindra explains below.
All the responses are his.
How does Tech Mahindra see the opportunity for private 5G with enterprises, generally?
“Private 5G presents a significant opportunity for enterprises to establish high-performance, low-latency, and secure connectivity tailored to their operational requirements. At Tech Mahindra, we see private 5G as a key driver of Industry 4.0 transformation, enabling seamless integration of IoT, automation, AR/VR, and AI at scale while giving enterprises full control over their networks.
“We believe that private 5G, combined with edge computing, unlocks new value chains by enabling reliable and mission-critical applications that Wi-Fi or public 5G cannot achieve. With private 5G, enterprises can benefit from both the high-speed and reliability of 5G, and the localized processing power of edge computing. This makes it ideal for running complex applications with minimal latency. It’s perfect for industries that need real-time data processing and ultra-low latency, like manufacturing, healthcare, and even smart cities.”
Where are you delivering private 5G solutions — and with whom, and for whom? Can you give some examples, and context?
“We are actively delivering private 5G networks globally through strategic partnerships with hyperscalers, MNOs, and OEMs. In India, Tech Mahindra has partnered with Airtel to deliver private 5G use cases in automotive manufacturing plants, optimizing production lines through real-time analytics and connected robotics. Tech Mahindra has deployed a private 5G network at Mahindra Auto’s Chakan manufacturing facility, making it India’s first 5G-enabled auto manufacturing unit.
“Tech Mahindra and Pegatron have partnered to develop AI-enabled private 5G networks for global enterprises. In alliance with Rakuten Symphony, Cisco, and Airspan Networks, Tech Mahindra has launched the Real Open RAN Licensing Program with an aim to accelerate global adoption of Open RAN by leveraging the strengths of each partner. In Germany, we collaborated with a leading automobile company to deploy a private 5G-enabled smart factory using edge AI and digital twins. In the US, we collaborated with a major logistics provider to deploy private 5G in warehouse operations to enhance real-time tracking and automation. ”
How does the market in India compare to other markets — in terms of private 5G opportunities and challenges?
“The India private 5G network market is witnessing significant growth, projected to reach $674.6 million by 2030 from $30.6 million in 2023 – according to Grand View Research. This growth is driven by the rapid expansion of 5G networks and the strong commitment to 5G deployment by leading operators. India is also seeing a substantial increase in data consumption, with 5G users consuming 3.6 times more mobile data compared to 4G users. This surge in data usage underscores the transformative potential of 5G to fuel growth in industries such as smart cities, manufacturing, and logistics by enabling faster, more reliable, and highly-responsive connectivity.
“India holds immense potential for private 5G due to its large manufacturing base, increasing digital adoption, and the government’s push for self-reliance in industrial tech. However, the regulatory landscape is still evolving. India currently channels spectrum primarily through mobile network operators (MNOs), which can limit flexibility and innovation for some enterprise use cases. Adoption in India is expected to accelerate as regulatory clarity improves, and more businesses realize the return on investment from digital transformation.”
Who is Tech Mahindra working with (MNOs, network equipment vendors, enterprises) in India?
“Tech Mahindra has been working with leading operators in India to develop and market private 5G networks, cloud and CDN solutions to businesses. We also work with global telecom equipment majors to drive enterprise adoption of private wireless by enabling end-to-end network management and IT/OT integration across several enterprise application scenarios such as manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and smart agriculture. The Factory of the Future concept, developed in partnership with a leading technology giant, aims to support Industry 4.0 initiatives through solutions such as network automation, IT/OT integration, SDN, and cybersecurity.”
Where does India rank in terms of potential private 5G business etc?
“India ranks among the top global markets with strong potential for private 5G driven by its scale, expanding industrial base and strategic importance in global manufacturing and supply chains. With the right regulator support aligned to industry requirements, we expect India to emerge as one of the most dynamic private 5G markets by 2027.”
Is the only way for enterprises to get spectrum in India to go via MNOs, and is it a drawback?
“Currently, Indian enterprises must get spectrum through MNOs to establish private 5G networks. While this isn’t inherently problematic, the situation is more complex. MNOs possess significant expertise and experience in deploying spectrum on a national scale, making them the primary channel for this deployment. However, industries that require rapid deployment, such as manufacturing or those handling mission-critical applications, may prefer to have direct control over their spectrum.”
Does Tech Mahindra support enterprises licensing spectrum directly from the regulator?
“Tech Mahindra has been collaborating with the largest enterprises and MNOs to deploy 5G networks across India. As regulations evolve, we are committed to remaining adaptable and will work within the new framework.”
