Cellular Operators Association of India appoints Airtel's Rahul Vatts as Chairperson

The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has appointed Bharti Airtel's Group Chief Regulatory Officer Rahul Vatts as its Chairperson and Reliance Jio Infocomm's Chief Regulatory Officer Dr Ravi P Gandhi as Vice-Chairperson for 2026-27.

The appointments were announced during COAI's Annual General Body Meeting for FY26, where members reviewed key developments in the telecom sector and discussed priorities for strengthening India's digital communications ecosystem.

"The COAI leadership for 2026-27 was also announced at the meeting. Rahul Vatts, Group Chief Regulatory Officer and Director, Corporate Affairs, Bharti Airtel Limited, will serve as Chairperson of COAI, while Dr Ravi P Gandhi, Chief Regulatory Officer, Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd., will serve as Vice-Chairperson," the industry body said in a statement.

Commenting on the new leadership, COAI Director General Lt Gen Dr SP Kochhar said the telecom sector is entering a pivotal phase as digital infrastructure increasingly underpins India's economic growth.

"India's telecom sector is at a critical stage of transformation, with digital communications infrastructure increasingly serving as the foundation of the country's digital economy," Kochhar said.

He added that emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, 5G Advanced, satellite communications and future 6G networks are expected to further expand the sector's role in driving innovation, inclusion and economic development.

"As technologies such as AI, 5G Advanced, satellite communications and future 6G systems evolve, the sector will play an even greater role in enabling innovation, inclusion and economic growth," he said.

Kochhar said COAI would continue collaborating with the government, regulators and industry stakeholders to support trusted communications services and future-ready digital infrastructure.

According to COAI, Vatts brings nearly three decades of experience spanning telecom and broadcasting licensing, economic regulation, spectrum management and regulatory litigation. At Bharti Airtel, he oversees government relations, policy and regulatory affairs across businesses including mobility, broadband, DTH, data centres, submarine cables and digital services.

Gandhi, meanwhile, has more than 30 years of experience in telecom regulation, public policy and network operations. Before joining Reliance Jio, he served as Chief Regulatory Officer at Bharti Airtel and held several key positions in the Department of Telecommunications as an officer of the Indian Telecom Services.