Nokia is preparing to lay off a portion of its workforce in India as part of a larger global restructuring aimed at streamlining operations and cutting costs. According to Moneycontrol, up to 20 percent of employees in its India operations could be affected, though the company has declined to confirm specific numbers.
The Finnish telecom equipment maker began implementing its new operating model on January 1, 2026, consolidating its earlier three business segments into two: Network Infrastructure and Mobile Infrastructure. The restructuring merges Nokia’s former Cloud and Network Services and Mobile Networks divisions, a move that created overlaps and is now prompting workforce reductions globally.
As part of the overhaul, Nokia announced key leadership changes for its India operations. Samar Mittal has been appointed India Country Business Leader, and Vibha Mehra will serve as India Country Manager, both effective April 1, 2026. They succeed Tarun Chhabra, who is stepping down. Mittal will oversee go-to-market strategies across telecom operators, cloud providers, and enterprise clients, while Mehra will handle government relations, communications, and corporate social responsibility. Nokia said the dual leadership structure aligns with its new global strategy and aims to strengthen the company’s presence in India.
Industry analysts say the restructuring marks a reversal of the vertical organisational model introduced in 2023 by former CEO Pekka Lundmark, which did not produce the expected efficiencies. The current shift restores centralized country management to oversee customer relationships.
Nokia’s India sales have been hit by slowing 5G capital expenditure among local telecom operators. Net sales in the country fell 15 percent year-on-year to €393 million in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to Business Standard. Despite the revenue decline, the company’s Indian headcount rose marginally to 17,708 last year.
The job cuts come amid a broader industry slowdown. Rival Ericsson announced in January 2026 that it would cut about 1,600 jobs in Sweden. Globally, Nokia’s workforce has declined from roughly 103,000 in 2018 to about 74,100 by the end of 2025.
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