Nokia to layoff 20 pct of global workforce, here is why

Nokia is gearing up for another round of layoffs as a part of their global restructuring plan that is beginning to take shape across their Indian operations. Reports claim that the Finnish telecom giant is planning to cut loose 20 per cent of its global workforce. This could also impact severely the Indian operations of the company. The move comes amid slowing financial performance in the region and a broader shift in how the company is organised. Leadership changes have already been announced, and more operational changes are expected in the coming months as Nokia attempts to simplify its business and respond to evolving market demand.

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The restructuring plan was first outlined in late 2025 and was focused on reducing complexity within the company. Nokia is moving away from its earlier structure of three business groups and is now combining operations into two main segments. With this shift the company is expected to remove overlapping roles that were created during the earlier reorganisation, which was held in 2023.

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The reports also suggest that the layoffs in India could be nearing the average globally, though the exact figures for India remain uncertain. It is likely to be a broad-based impact across several teams, including common and support functions where duplication has also been identified. Furthermore, the roles linked to businesses that are no longer part of the company’s core priorities may also be affected.

At the same time, Nokia has also announced key leadership changes in India. The telecom company has already announced that Samar Mittal will take over as India Country Business Leader, while Vibha Mehra will serve as India Country Manager from April 2026. Moreover, Mittal is also expected to handle end-to-end customer operations, marking a return to a more centralised model that the company had followed earlier.

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The changes follow a period of declining performance in India. Nokia has seen a 15 per cent dip in its net sales for the fourth quarter of 2025 compared to last year. This has put pressure on the company to achieve efficiency in operations. 

Another thing to note is that the employee strength across the world has already decreased substantially for Nokia in the last few years. The current restructuring seems to indicate further employee reductions as the company adapts to the changing market scenario.

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Bhaskar Sharma

Bhaskar is a senior copy editor at Digit India, where he simplifies complex tech topics across iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and emerging consumer tech. His work has appeared in iGeeksBlog, GuidingTech, and other publications, and he previously served as an assistant editor at TechBloat and TechReloaded. A B.Tech graduate and full-time tech writer, he is known for clear, practical guides and explainers. View Full Profile