Archive · 24 Dec 2025
Telecom Sector Growth and Stock Picks for 2026
The telecom sector in India is expected to remain dominated by Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel through 2026.
These companies plan to increase prices by about 10-12% and focus on offering better, more expensive services.
They are also investing in new technologies like 5G for businesses.
Vodafone Idea is struggling to keep its customers and will focus on improving its services.
Meanwhile, an analyst has identified several stocks, including HDFC Bank, Groww, Lenskart, and HAL, as potential winners for 2026.
The telecom sector saw significant growth in 2025, with over 1.2 billion subscribers and rapid 5G adoption.
The industry is also emphasizing digital trust and secure networks.
Overall, the telecom companies and investors are looking to grow by offering higher-quality services and expanding their digital offerings.
Telecom duopoly by Jio and Airtel expected to persist through 2026 with tariff hikes and premiumisation.
Enterprise 5G deployments to scale by 2026, driven by AI workloads and Industry 4.0.
Vodafone Idea (Vi) faces challenges in customer retention and market share.
Airtel emphasizes digital-led growth, network upgrades, and home broadband expansion.
Analyst Prashanth Tapse identifies HDFC Bank, Groww, Lenskart, HAL, and others as top stock picks for 2026.
- Who
- Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea (Vi), Prashanth Tapse, HDFC Bank, Groww, Lenskart, HAL
- What
- Telecom duopoly likely to persist through 2026 with focus on tariff hikes, premiumisation, and enterprise 5G; stock picks for 2026 identified by Prashanth Tapse
- When
- 2026
- Where
- India
- Why
- To capture limited growth pockets, enhance revenue, improve network infrastructure, and diversify investment portfolios
- Key Players
- Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea (Vi)
- Expected Tariff Hike
- 10-12% in 2026
- Premiumisation Strategy
- Focus on higher-value plans, convergence, and digital services
- Enterprise 5G
- Expected to move from pilot to scaled deployments by 2026
- Vi's Subscriber Loss
- Lost 2 million subscribers in October 2025
- Airtel's Strategy
- Strengthening premium base, pushing digital-led growth
- Digital Trust
- Focus on strengthening digital trust and network security
- Stock Picks for 2026
- HDFC Bank, Groww, Lenskart, HAL, among others
- Telecom Subscriber Base
- 1.2 billion by November 2025
- 5G Adoption
- 394 million subscriptions by year-end 2025
Sources
Duopoly overhang set to persist through 2026 for telecom
Budget 2026 wishlist: Will AI data centres get a 20-year tax holiday? 3 big moves to watch
Telecom in 2025: How 5G Rollout, AI Integration Drove India’s Growth This Year
