Nokia partners with Bharti Airtel to unlock 5G capabilities for developers and enterprises via network APIs

• Partnership enables third-party developers to leverage Airtel's pan-India network assets through Nokia’s Network as Code platform.
  
  

4 December 2025
Espoo, Finland – Nokia today announced a collaboration with Bharti Airtel to make the operator's network capabilities available to third-party developers through Nokia's Network as Code platform with developer portal. This strategic partnership will provide developers and enterprises alike access to Airtel's extensive pan-India network assets, creating new monetization opportunities and innovative use cases that will span multiple industry verticals.

Following successful trials, Airtel’s network APIs will be available on a subscription basis to an established ecosystem of developers, system integrators and enterprises using Nokia's Network as Code platform. This will enable the developer community to seamlessly build advanced solutions leveraging the Airtel network’s robust capabilities such as AI, 5G, edge computing and more.

Network APIs, which allow operators to virtualize parts of their networks and provide tailored data and features to developers, are changing the game. This technology is set to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of network capabilities while unlocking significant new revenue opportunities.

“At Airtel, we are always working toward bringing the ecosystem together to collaborate for future-ready innovations. In line with this commitment, we are happy to partner with Nokia today for network APIs and enable the ecosystem to leverage our network capabilities for automation and building secure and innovative digital services,” said Sharat Sinha, CEO, Airtel Business.

“Our partnership with Airtel represents a significant step in expanding the Network as Code ecosystem. It demonstrates our commitment to helping telecommunications providers monetize their network investments while fostering innovation in the developer community,” said Arvind Khurana, Head of Cloud and Network Services, India, Nokia

Nokia’s Network as Code platform bridges the gap between developers and networks, enabling application innovation while accelerating digital transformation. It provides developers with standardized access to network functions, without having to navigate any of the underlying network technologies. It connects multiple API ecosystems and offers operators the broadest range of network exposure options, paired with robust multi-tier API security and simplified access to network functionalities.

The global ecosystem of Nokia’s Network as Code platform has grown to more than 60 partners, including telecommunications providers, AI and data center customers, Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) platform providers, systems integrators and vertical independent software vendors.

Multimedia, technical information, and related news
Web Ppage: Network as Code use cases
Web Page: Network as Code developer portal
Web Page: GSMA Open Gateway Hackathon featuring Network as Code
Videos: Network as Code YouTube channel

About Nokia 

Nokia is a global leader in connectivity for the AI era. With expertise across fixed, mobile, and transport networks, powered by the innovation of Nokia Bell Labs, we’re advancing connectivity to secure a brighter world.

About Bharti Airtel
Headquartered in India, Airtel is a global communications solutions provider with over 600 million customers in 15 countries across India and Africa. The company also has its presence in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka through its associate entities. The company ranks amongst the top three mobile operators globally and its networks cover over two billion people. Airtel is India’s largest integrated communications solutions provider and the second largest mobile operator in Africa. Airtel’s retail portfolio includes high-speed 4G/5G mobile, Wi-Fi (FTTH+ FWA) that promises speeds up to 1 Gbps with convergence across linear and on-demand entertainment, video streaming services, digital payments and financial services. For enterprise customers, Airtel offers a gamut of solutions that includes secure connectivity, cloud and data centre services, cyber security, IoT, and cloud-based communication. Airtel’s digital arm – Xtelify, empowers telcos globally to leverage the power of AI, data and technology to accelerate their digital transformation and drive growth. Xtelify also offers Airtel Cloud in India enabling enterprises with a sovereign, telco-grade cloud platform that guarantees secure migration, effortless scaling, lower costs and no vendor lock-ins. Within its diversified portfolio, Airtel also offers passive infrastructure services through its subsidiary Indus Tower Ltd. For more details, visit www.airtel.com

Media inquiries 
Nokia Press Office 
Email: Press.Services@nokia.com 
Follow us on social media 
LinkedIn X Instagram Facebook YouTube