Indian IT Services Set for AI-Led Growth Acceleration in 2026, Says Uniphore CEO
Uniphore CEO Umesh Sachdeva predicts accelerated growth for Indian IT services companies in 2026 as AI transitions from industry threat to growth driver. Enterprises have moved beyond pilot programs to production-scale AI deployment, creating sustained opportunities for IT firms adopting asset-led services models. Uniphore raised ₹2,184 crores in Series F funding with strategic investors including Nvidia and AMD, achieving over 100% growth while targeting revenue bookings exceeding $1 billion. The company's performance exemplifies broader market transformation as large-scale AI agent deployments expand across financial services, insurance, and consulting sectors.
*this image is generated using AI for illustrative purposes only.
Indian IT services companies are positioned for accelerated growth in 2026 as artificial intelligence transforms from a perceived industry threat into a clear growth catalyst, according to Umesh Sachdeva, CEO and co-founder of Uniphore. Speaking at the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos, Sachdeva emphasized that Indian IT firms have successfully adapted to AI adoption and are now strategically positioned to capitalize on surging enterprise demand.
Enterprise AI Adoption Reaches Production Scale
The shift in enterprise AI strategy represents a fundamental change in market dynamics. Sachdeva noted that companies have moved beyond experimental approaches to embrace production-scale implementation. "The key difference is that companies have moved past the proof-of-concept mentality to a production mindset," he explained.
This transition is creating sustained opportunities for IT services companies as enterprises integrate AI into core operations rather than treating it as experimental technology. The demand from large enterprises for AI agents and smaller language models, deployed with security and governance frameworks, has shown significant strength across multiple sectors.
Uniphore's Growth Trajectory Reflects Market Trends
Uniphore's recent performance exemplifies the broader industry transformation. The company's achievements demonstrate the potential scale of AI-driven growth:
| Metric | Performance |
|---|---|
| Series F Funding (2025) | ₹2,184 crores ($260 million) |
| Growth Rate | Over 100% |
| Projected Revenue Bookings | Potentially exceeding $1 billion |
| Strategic Investors | Nvidia, AMD, Snowflake, Databricks |
Sachdeva characterized the funding round as validation rather than capital necessity, highlighting Uniphore's established position in enterprise AI solutions. The participation of major technology companies as both investors and partners reinforces the company's market positioning.
Asset-Led Services Model Transforms IT Delivery
Indian IT services firms are adopting asset-led services models built around industry solutions, pre-trained models, and pre-built AI agents. This approach enables companies to deliver outcomes rather than traditional manpower-based services, positioning them strategically within the AI economy.
Sachdeva addressed productivity measurement challenges by citing practical examples. In the insurance sector, AI agents reduced claims processing time from 27 minutes to three minutes without workforce reductions. "The same team now has dramatically higher throughput," he noted, suggesting such efficiency gains will increasingly appear in company earnings.
Industry-Wide AI Deployment Accelerates
Large-scale AI agent deployments are underway across multiple sectors including financial services, insurance, telecommunications, and consulting. Strategic partnerships, such as Uniphore's collaboration with KPMG, demonstrate the expanding scope of enterprise AI implementation.
Sachdeva predicted that 2026 will mark a turning point when large enterprises begin publicly reporting AI adoption benefits. He anticipates that Fortune 500 companies will soon document efficiency gains from AI in their earnings reports, providing concrete evidence of AI's business impact.
Outlook for Indian IT Services Growth
The transformation in Indian IT services positioning represents a significant strategic shift. Sachdeva acknowledged initial concerns about AI's impact on the industry but emphasized that major players now have comprehensive strategies in place. "If we had spoken last year, I would have said I was concerned," he reflected. "But today, almost all of them have very solid strategies in place."
The CEO expects the impact of AI as a growth driver to become clearly visible in Indian IT services companies' performance over the coming quarters, marking a substantial change from previous growth patterns driven by traditional service delivery models.
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