Nokia and Airtel Expand Access to India-Wide Network APIs

Nokia and Bharti Airtel are extending network access to developers and enterprises through a new collaboration built around the Nokia Network as Code platform with a developer portal.

The agreement places Airtel’s pan-India network capabilities in front of a broader developer base and supports new work across multiple sectors. Both companies frame the partnership as a way to link operator infrastructure with external application development without requiring developers to manage underlying network technologies.

Airtel conducted trials before moving to commercial availability. Its network APIs will be provided to developers, system integrators and enterprises already active within the Nokia Network as Code ecosystem on subscription terms.

These APIs expose functions across Airtel’s 5G footprint and related assets, including AI and edge computing resources. Nokia states that the platform connects multiple API ecosystems and provides multi-tier security controls, along with unified access points for network features.

Sharat Sinha, CEO of Airtel Business, says: “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.” 

Arvind Khurana, Head of Cloud and Network Services, India, Nokia, sets out Nokia’s position: “Our partnership with Airtel represents a significant step in expanding the Network as Code ecosystem.

"It demonstrates our commitment to helping telecommunications providers monetise their network investments while fostering innovation in the developer community.” 

Expansion of Network as Code across Nokia and Airtel operations

The Network as Code platform has grown to more than 60 partners across global markets. These include telecommunications providers, AI and data centre companies, CPaaS providers, systems integrators and independent software vendors.

Nokia uses the platform to expose network functions via standardised interfaces, reducing the need for specialist telecoms expertise among developers. Airtel’s contribution brings pan-India coverage and 5G capability into the ecosystem, which Nokia positions as a way to widen the range of use cases.

Developers will gain access to Airtel network functions through the portal and can authenticate into APIs for latency insights, bandwidth control, location-aware functions and other network features.

Airtel and Nokia both highlight the potential for new enterprise-focused services built through API consumption rather than bespoke integrations. The subscription model gives developers repeat access without complex procurement cycles, which Nokia views as central to the platform’s value.

The companies state that the collaboration supports digital transformation programmes across Indian enterprises. They cite AI-driven automation, distributed application architectures and edge-based processing as areas where network APIs allow developers to bring network information directly into service logic.

It includes scenarios where application performance depends on real-time network conditions or where workflows need to trigger actions inside the network.

Nokia Network as Code platform links developers and operator assets

Nokia positions the platform as a bridge between application developers and networks, supported by tools that translate telecoms signalling and functions into usable APIs. It provides access to various network exposure options through a single environment.

Nokia notes that it aims to remove friction for developers who otherwise lack access to operator interfaces or who face inconsistent API structures across providers.

Airtel’s participation expands the set of networks represented on the platform and adds a large-scale 5G footprint. Developers who already work within the ecosystem can integrate Airtel network features without rewriting applications for operator-specific environments.

Airtel expects it will support enterprise services across transport, manufacturing, logistics and other Indian sectors that rely on connectivity with predictable behaviour.

Arvind adds that the partnership forms part of Nokia’s wider strategy to support operators in creating revenue pathways based on network exposure.

Sharat highlights that Airtel seeks collaboration with the developer ecosystem to enable secure, automated service creation, aligning with the operator’s approach to 5G and cloud-based network functions.

Airtel network APIs extend reach through the Nokia developer portal

Airtel’s network APIs will be accessible through the Nokia developer portal once commercial availability begins. It includes API documentation, testing tools and integration resources.

The companies highlight that developers can subscribe and immediately build applications that reference Airtel network information. Nokia indicates that the process reduces the effort required to explore edge computing, AI-driven decision logic or 5G-specific service flows.

Nokia and Airtel present the agreement as a move that brings operator network functions into mainstream software development practices.

The collaboration positions Airtel’s network as a programmable resource while Nokia maintains the platform layer that simplifies access for developers and enterprises.