Ciena: Powering India’s AI-driven network transformation

India’s network and connectivity ecosystem is entering a new phase of expansion, driven by the rise of hyperscalers, rapid data consumption, and the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) across industries. With large-scale data centres being set up and enterprises shifting toward AI-driven operations, the focus is increasingly on building high-capacity, low-latency, and intelligent networks that can keep pace with these changes. In an interview with tele.net, Amit Malik, Vice President, Asia Pacific, Japan and India, Ciena, shared insights on how Ciena is driving this transformation through innovation in optical technology and AI-driven automation.

Could you walk us through Ciena’s growth journey in India so far and how the market has evolved?

Ciena has had a long-standing presence in India, which is now the company’s second-largest R&D hub globally. The Gurgaon campus houses nearly 3,000 employees and serves as a major innovation centre for software and, increasingly, hardware development. Many of the company’s routing, network automation and optical solutions are being designed and delivered from here.

Over the past few years, the market has undergone a massive shift. Hyperscalers have become increasingly visible and active in India, setting up large data centres. Previously, 30 MW data centres were considered huge, but now gigawatt-scale facilities are being discussed and built. This transformation is driven by the explosion of data consumption and the rise of AI, with India closely mirroring trends seen in North America.

What innovations is Ciena bringing to support next-generation routing solutions for high-performance applications, and how is AI being applied across its network and telecom solutions?

Innovation is crucial as data generation and consumption continue to rise rapidly. While AI adoption is still emerging, it will soon drive an even greater need for speed, capacity, and efficiency. Ciena has been at the forefront of optical innovation, leading with 400G, then 800G, and now 1.6 Tbps modems. These advancements allow customers to move more data efficiently over existing infrastructure, which is vital for maximising existing infrastructure.

AI plays a vital role in this transformation. Ciena is embedding AI across its network management platforms to handle growing complexity, helping operators plan and simulate networks, monitor real-time data, and enable autonomous actions when required. The aim is to move from automated to fully autonomous networks, where AI can predict, decide, and act in real time. AI-powered systems can detect network conditions, anticipate issues, and respond instantly, ensuring greater reliability and efficiency. Security remains a core priority, with robust encryption and continuous innovation to stay ahead of emerging threats.

How is Ciena differentiating itself from competitors in optical leadership during the AI-centric transformation?

Ciena differentiates itself through continuous innovation, and customer-centricity. For instance, our latest WaveLogic 6 technology delivers record speeds of 1.6 Tbps while using half the space and power, a critical advantage for customers where energy and rack space are limited.

Beyond hardware, Ciena stands out in solution architecture and cost efficiency. Its network designs reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) for customers while enhancing performance. Another differentiator is its unified network management platform, which provides a single interface for managing optical and routing systems, including third-party equipment, with AI-driven insights for better visibility and control. Ciena’s culture of putting customers first, from design to post-deployment support, further strengthens its leadership.

What steps is Ciena taking on the sustainability front?

Sustainability is a core part of Ciena’s global strategy. We focus on reducing our carbon footprint, increasing the use of renewable energy in our offices, and improving the recyclability of our products and packaging. Ciena also works closely with customers to help them achieve their sustainability objectives by offering energy-efficient and space-optimised network solutions.

How do you see AI reshaping the relationship between networks, data centres, and end users in the next three to five years?

For years, AI was viewed mainly as a computing challenge because without efficient data movement, AI cannot function effectively. The conversation has shifted from just “space and power” to “space, power, and network.” AI applications need data to move seamlessly from data centres through subsea cables, long-haul networks, metro infrastructure, and finally to end users.

Networks now need to support AI workloads with high capacity, low latency, strong security, and resilience. In the next few years, AI inference will move closer to the edge, and eventually, even AI training could become more distributed.

With hyperscalers expanding aggressively in India, what role is Ciena playing in building scalable, application-aware networks?

Ciena plays a critical role in helping hyperscalers build networks that match their application-specific needs. We are strong proponents of the business model ofmanaged optical fibre networks (MOFN) in India, a collaborative approach where Ciena works with both service providers and hyperscalers to jointly design and deploy networks. This is a category of offerings from service providers to design, build, and manage networks to hyperscalers’ technical requirements.

Looking ahead, how do you envision Ciena’s role in building a secure, sustainable, and digitally empowered India?

As AI-driven applications expand, Ciena sees itself as a key enabler of the AI ecosystem, providing the infrastructure that allows technologies to scale securely and efficiently. With continuous innovation and a growing portfolio of solutions, Ciena aims to help build a digitally empowered India.