



Nokia flags rising telecom gear costs in India amid supply chain pressures
New Delhi: Telecom gear maker Nokia said that supply chain pressures due to the West Asia war, with component shortages such as memory chips, are increasing costs for devices, including wireless access equipment and network infrastructure.“We started seeing the cost creeps happening. As soon as the supply shortage starts, the first thing is the cost changes, and that is what is happening right now,” Vibha Mehra, country manager - designate for India at Nokia, told reporters on Tuesday.Mehra, who will take charge as Nokia’s country manager in India on 1 April, said discussions about the cost increases have also begun with telecom operators.To be sure, memory chip prices had already been increasing before the war, as manufacturing capacity shifted from consumer electronics toward high-margin memory solutions for AI.
The same led smartphone makers to increase device prices in the country as well.“After the war, it has impacted much more. This was continuing (before the war), but it was manageable,” Mehra said, adding that companies have started prioritizing the purchases for smooth operations.Nokia is one of the leading suppliers of telecom equipment in India, as 4G and 5G networks roll out.
In 2025, Nokia’s revenue from India rose 12% to ₹16,250 crore. India contributes about 7.7% to Nokia’s global revenue.For telecom operators, an increase in equipment costs could lead to higher network expansion expenses.
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