TCS expands ABB network deal with AI-led operations

TCS has expanded its collaboration with ABB to manage the industrial group's global network operations, extending a partnership that has lasted 20 years.

Under the multi-million, multi-year deal, TCS will broaden its remit from infrastructure and application management to end-to-end network operations through a network-as-a-service model.

The work centres on ABB's Future Network Model programme, which aims to turn the company's global network into a standardised, centrally managed digital infrastructure. TCS will design, integrate and run that environment, while coordinating ABB's multi-vendor set-up.

The programme is intended to replace separate network environments with a single service-led architecture, combining service integration and management, a global network operations centre, security measures, and updated local area network, wide area network and software-defined WAN systems.

The arrangement will also cover end-to-end monitoring and orchestration across ABB's network services as the company seeks a more unified operating model for technology systems across its businesses worldwide.

Long partnership

The latest deal builds on a relationship that both companies said has included several large technology projects over the past two decades. Earlier work included consolidating multiple enterprise resource planning systems into a single SAP platform, as well as cloud migration and adoption projects.

For ABB, the network overhaul is part of a broader effort to support digital operations with a more consistent underlying infrastructure. The company operates across electrification and automation, making network resilience and central oversight a key part of day-to-day operations.

Alec Joannou, Group CIO at ABB, outlined the company's position on the programme.

"The Future Network Model represents an important milestone in reinforcing the digital foundation of ABB's global operations. As our business evolves, it is critical to have an ecosystem that is resilient, secure, and aligned with long-term transformation goals. Our association with TCS reflects a shared focus on delivery excellence, continuous enhancement, and building capabilities that can support our strategic priorities," said Joannou.

Expanded remit

The contract marks a notable expansion in TCS's role. Rather than focusing on discrete technology layers such as infrastructure and applications, the Indian IT services company will now take responsibility for a broader operating model spanning network design, integration and ongoing management.

That model includes a central control framework for global operations. It is designed to bring greater standardisation to ABB's systems while giving the company a single structure for service management and security oversight.

The companies said artificial intelligence will be embedded in the network operations model. In practice, that means AI will sit within the management layer of ABB's network environment as part of monitoring, orchestration and service delivery.

Anupam Singhal, President, Manufacturing at TCS, described the latest phase of the relationship as a continuation of long-running work between the two groups.

"For over two decades, TCS has had the privilege of supporting ABB's transformation journey, and the Future Network Model marks the next chapter in this partnership. With AI embedded into the network operations model, supported by secure digital infrastructure and our deep domain expertise, we are bringing our 'infrastructure to intelligence' approach to build a resilient, intelligent network backbone. Through this engagement, we will enable network systems that can sense, adapt, and improve continuously, while strengthening reliability, security, user experience, and scale as ABB continues to advance as a future-ready enterprise," said Singhal.

The agreement highlights how large industrial groups are reworking core network operations as part of broader digital transformation programmes. For service providers such as TCS, these projects increasingly go beyond maintaining technology estates to running integrated operational environments across multiple vendors and geographies.

ABB's programme also reflects a wider move among multinational companies to simplify fragmented network structures built up over time. By centralising operations and standardising systems, businesses aim to reduce complexity and strengthen control over security, compliance and service quality.

For TCS, the deal adds another long-term managed services engagement in the manufacturing and industrial sector, where clients are under pressure to connect sites, applications and operational systems through a common network foundation.