Telecom is among the most energy-intensive segments of the digital infrastructure ecosystem. A large share of operational emissions originates from radio access network, transmission equipment, data centres and tower sites. Energy costs form a significant portion of operating expenditure, with industry estimates suggesting that power accounts for 20-30 per cent of a mobile operator’s operational expenditure in India. Towers alone contribute materially to emissions due to their distributed nature and continued reliance on backup power.
As traffic volumes rise, absolute emissions risk also increases, unless offset by structural efficiency improvements and cleaner power sourcing. Indian telcos are, therefore, increasingly framing sustainability around three interconnected pillars. The first is reducing energy intensity per unit of data, ensuring that network growth does not translate into proportionate increases in power consumption. The second is shifting electricity usage towards renewable sources at scale. The third is addressing Scope 3 emissions linked to leased tower infrastructure, equipment supply chains and logistics.
Most operators have set net zero timelines aligned with mid-century climate goals. However, the decisive test lies in intermediate milestones between now and 2030, when the bulk of network expansion and densification will occur. The ability to deliver measurable emission reductions during this decade will determine the credbility of long-term commitments.
Airtel’s road map
Bharti Airtel has articulated one of the most detailed and transparent decarbonisation pathways among Indian operators. It was the first domestic Indian telecom company to have its science-based targets validated, and it has committed to reducing absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions by 50.2 per cent by FY 2030-31, using 2020-21 as the base year. Over the same period, it has committed to reducing absolute Scope 3 GHG emissions by 42 per cent.
Airtel’s disclosures are anchored in operational baselines. In FY 2024-25, the company reported Scope 1 emissions of 74,559 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e), Scope 2 emissions of 1,027,690 tCO2e, and total Scope 1 plus Scope 2 emissions of 1,102,249 tCO2e. It also reported renewable electricity consumption of 260,737 MWh, alongside grid electricity consumption of 1,413,604 MWh for its own operations.
Airtel’s Scope 3 profile also illustrates where telecom decarbonisation becomes a partnership exercise. In 2024-25, Airtel reported upstream leased assets Scope 3 emissions of 5,963,951 tCO2e, which dominate its total Scope 3 footprint of 6,698,692 tCO2e. This highlights why Airtel’s pathway to 2031 is not just about greening its own facilities. It is equally about how quickly tower partners shift to cleaner energy mixes and how efficiently tenancies are run.
Jio at scale
Reliance Jio’s sustainability strategy stands out for the specificity of its interim milestones and the speed implied by them. Under its science-based targets initiative approval, Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited has committed to reducing absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 76 per cent by 2028 from the 2020 base year.
Its renewable electricity road map is equally time-bound. Jio has committed to increasing renewable electricity sourcing from 1.19 per cent in 2020 to 100 per cent by 2029, and to maintaining 100 per cent renewable sourcing through 2030. For Scope 3 emissions, the company has committed to achieving a 66.5 per cent absolute reduction across major categories by 2028.
Beyond clean power procurement, Jio’s longer-term strategy leans heavily on digital optimisation. AI-driven network management, automation and virtualisation are being deployed to ensure that rising data traffic does not translate into proportional increases in energy consumption. As data volumes continue to grow through the 2030s, efficiency-led decarbonisations is likely to define Jio’s pathway toward its longer-term climate ambitions.
Vi’s transition path
Vodafone Idea Limited’s (Vi) sustainability journey reflects the realities of legacy infrastructure and financial constraints, yet decarbonisation remains an operational priority. While the operator has not announced an India-specific net zero timeline, it has strengthened sustainability disclosures under the Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting framework, signalling gradual alignment with broader industry climate goals.
In its FY 2024-25 disclosures, Vi stated that network emissions are tracked annually, in line with the Department of Telecommunications guidelines. It also reported that over 1,000 co-owned sites operate exclusively on solar energy solutions. In FY 2023-24, the company sourced more than 40 million kWh from renewable energy, alongside ongoing efforts to expand solar and wind deployment at Vi-owned facilities where commercially and regulatorily feasible.
Operationally, Vi has focused on incremental efficiency measures such as solarisation of tower sites, deployment of higher-efficiency batteries, reduction in diesel generator usage and modernisation of radio equipment. Network rationalisation and site sharing have also contributed to emissions reduction. Over the medium term, Vi’s trajectory is expected to be influenced by the Vodafone Group’s global ambition to achieve net zero emissions across its value chain by 2040.
Public networks
State-owned operators occupy a distinct position in India’s sustainability landscape. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), with its extensive rural footprint, faces challenges related to ageing infrastructure and uneven grid availability. Decarbonisation efforts have, therefore, centred on reducing diesel dependence through selective solar and hybrid deployments, alongside gradual network modernisation.
In 2025, BSNL issued a tender to source renewable power through the green energy open access framework for BSNL-owned buildings, signalling a more structured approach to clean power procurement. While the operator has not articulated a formal net zero timeline, sustainability considerations are increasingly being integrated into revival and expansion plans as new-generation networks are rolled out. Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited, with a limited operational footprint, has disclosed little in terms of structured decarbonisation targets.
Tower economics
Tower infrastructure remains one of the most critical levers for telecom decarbonisation. A significant share of network emissions arises from leased tower sites, making collaboration between operators and tower companies essential. Across India, hybrid power configurations combining solar panels, lithium-ion batteries and efficient diesel generators are becoming more common, particularly in semi-urban and rural areas.
Advanced energy management systems are increasingly being deployed to monitor site-level consumption, optimise battery cycles and minimise fuel usage. Over the long term, reducing the carbon intensity of tower operations will be central to achieving sector-wide net zero ambitions, particularly as network densification continues through the 2030s.
Green power shift
Renewable energy procurement has evolved from a supplementary measure to a core strategic tool for Indian telcos. Policy reforms under the green energy open access framework have lowered barriers for corporate buyers, enabling operators to source clean power directly from solar and wind projects across multiple states.
By 2025, open access and group captive renewable models are increasingly preferred for large, energy-intensive facilities such as data centres and switching centres. Operators are also exploring hybrid renewable contracts that combine solar and wind to improve supply stability. Over the next decade, such procurement models are expected to deepen, supporting long-term decarbonisation targets extending to 2040 and 2050.
Toward RTC power
Round-the-clock (RTC) green power represents the next phase of telecom sustainability. While achieving 24×7 renewable supply for distributed tower networks remains challenging, operators are beginning to explore firm renewable solutions backed by energy storage.
Hybrid solar-wind projects integrated with battery energy storage systems offer the potential to deliver near-baseload green power, reducing reliance on fossil-fuel-based grid electricity. As storage costs decline and market mechanisms mature, RTC procurement is likely to become a viable option for telecom networks in the 2030s.
Smarter networks
Energy efficiency within the network itself is emerging as a decisive factor in long-term decarbonisation. Modern radios, intelligent sleep modes, artificial intelligence-based traffic management and network virtualisation allow operators to dynamically match energy consumption with demand.
As 5G networks mature and future technologies come into play, software-driven efficiency gains will be as important as renewable power sourcing. The telecom network of 2040 will not only be faster and more resilient, but also inherently more energy-aware.
Looking beyond 2025
For India’s telecom sector, the path to net zero is a long-term transformation rather than a near-term milestone. The years ahead will be defined by how effectively operators translate ambitious 2040 and 2050 targets into tangible action during the current decade.
What is already clear is that sustainability is no longer a parallel agenda. From renewable procurement and tower operations to network design and supplier engagement, decarbonisation is becoming inseparable from how telecom networks are built and run. In an economy increasingly dependent on digital connectivity, the success of India’s climate goals will, in part, rest on how green its telecom networks ultimately become.
