New Delhi: The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), in association with the British High Commission, today organised CO.AI 2026 in New Delhi under the theme “Powering India’s Intelligent Connectivity Future: AI for Networks, Trust and Citizens”. The forum brought together senior representatives from the Government, Regulators, Telecom Service Providers, Technology Companies, Policy Stakeholders and the wider digital ecosystem to deliberate on the role of Artificial Intelligence in shaping future-ready digital infrastructure.
The forum brought together senior representatives including the Chief Guest Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India; His Excellency Mr. Ben Mellor, Acting British High Commissioner to Republic of India; Mr. Rahul Vatts, Chairperson – COAI & Group CRO and Director, Corporate Affairs, Bharti Airtel; Mr. Ravi Gandhi, Vice Chairman – COAI & President and Chief Public Policy and Regulatory Officer, Reliance Jio Infocomm along with other senior representatives from the Department of Telecommunications; telecom operators; technology companies; and other industry and ecosystem stakeholders.
A key highlight of the event was the signing of an MoU between COAI and the British High Commission, marking an important step towards strengthening cooperation on Artificial Intelligence, digital connectivity, digital trust and responsible technology-led innovation.
CO.AI 2026 focused on three interconnected priorities: AI for intelligent and autonomous networks; AI for security, trust and digital resilience; and AI for citizens, services and public value. Discussions also highlighted the growing importance of AI in combating digital fraud, strengthening consumer protection, improving network efficiency, supporting resilient infrastructure and enabling secure digital services at scale.
Addressing the audience, Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India said, “AI is not simply another network generation or another application layer. It’s a capability that can influence how networks are managed, how services are designed, how risks are identified and how decisions are made. AI creates opportunity but also requires the right kind of governance approach. As the sector evolves, governance must continue to balance several objectives: encouraging investment, promoting competition, enabling innovation, ensuring quality and protecting consumers. These objectives are not always identical, but effective regulation must hold them together. International cooperation can add value where the challenges themselves are cross-border. Cyber threats, scam networks, standards, and technology supply chains are not confined by national governments. There is value in learning from other jurisdictions and in developing practical channels for cooperation. India has already demonstrated its ability to build digital systems at extraordinary scale. The next stage will require us to combine that scale with intelligence and, equally important, with trust. India’s next digital transformation will not be defined merely by how many people we connect, but by how intelligently, securely, inclusively and responsibly we connect.”
His Excellency Mr. Ben Mellor, Acting British High Commissioner to Republic of India, said: “Governments have a responsibility to ensure innovation progresses alongside security, accountability and resilience, and that’s even more essential when criminals are using AI to aid scams. But AI is part of the solution too — it can help institutions move from reacting to individual incidents towards recognising patterns of harm early. That is the entire purpose of the UK’s engagement today, and why this MoU matters: it starts with a defined public interest problem rather than a broad declaration of intent and gives our partnership with COAI the continuity to keep working together long after today.”
Mr. Rahul Vatts, Chairperson – COAI & Group CRO and Director, Corporate Affairs, Bharti Airtel Limited mentioned: “AI and telecom must be seen as one continuum rather than two separate conversations. As India builds the next generation of digital infrastructure, AI will be critical to creating more intelligent, contextual and anticipatory networks, while also strengthening safety and trust for consumers. Our experience in using AI to combat spam demonstrates the potential to use technology at India’s scale to build a safer, more resilient and trusted digital ecosystem. I would like to acknowledge the sustained efforts of the British High Commission in shaping this engagement with COAI which would give us a basis to continue cooperation on the various topics being discussed today.”
Speaking on the occasion, Lt. Gen. Dr. S.P. Kochhar, Director General, COAI, said: “For India, the next phase of connectivity must be intelligent, secure, resilient and citizen-centric. Telecom networks will not only support AI workloads; they will increasingly become AI-enabled systems capable of optimising performance, strengthening security, improving service quality and protecting consumers from emerging digital risks. The MoU between COAI and the British High Commission reflects the importance of trusted international collaboration in shaping the future of digital connectivity.”
Dr. Ravi P. Gandhi, Vice Chairman, COAI & President and Chief Public Policy and Regulatory Officer, Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, said: “COAI brings together India’s leading telecom operators, representing nearly 95% of the market, to build this dialogue with industry, government and regulators. The UK brings deep experience in fraud prevention and tackling serious, organised crime. This partnership with the British High Commission is not limited to today’s event — it is the start of sustained cooperation on fraud and scam prevention.”
COAI also underlined that telecom is no longer a standalone connectivity sector, but the value-added horizontal supporting India’s digital economy, including AI, fintech, healthcare, education, manufacturing, logistics, governance, cybersecurity and citizen services. As networks become increasingly software-driven and intelligence-led, the convergence of ICT, Electronics and Cyber will define the future of telecom and digital infrastructure.
The forum further stated that AI has the potential to play a transformative role in predictive network management, energy optimisation, automated service assurance, cybersecurity, spam and fraud detection, digital identity protection and improved citizen experience. At the same time, participants emphasised the need for responsible AI deployment, strong safeguards, clear accountability and trusted digital ecosystemsThe event reaffirmed COAI’s commitment to enabling India’s transition towards intelligent, secure and inclusive digital infrastructure, while supporting innovation, consumer protection, industry collaboration and global technology partnerships.