Digital transformation, when aligned with people, processes, and operations, enables businesses to adapt, meet evolving customer needs, and drive growth and innovation. As technology continues to evolve, it will play an increasingly important role in shaping the future of last-mile delivery in India. Partners are continued to play a critical role in ensuring that this technology reaches the "last mile"—the end users or consumers.
Indeed, technology has the power to streamline processes, automate routine tasks, and enhance efficiency, enabling organizations to accomplish more with fewer resources. The Annual Channel Leadership Survey (CLS 2026) represents an integrated and landmark report for the technology industry, featured in the 26th Anniversary Special Issue this September. Now in its 18th year, the survey continues its legacy of delivering in-depth insights into key trends, emerging technologies, and the evolution of products—spanning hardware, software, and services—shaped by leading technology vendors.
The Annual Channel Leadership Survey (CLS 2026) continues to be a testament to how the technology landscape is shifting fast, with AI, cloud, and integrated cybersecurity driving a move from traditional IT sales to recurring, high-value service models favored by VARs and partners. The CLS 2026 survey outlines, VARs and system integrators now prioritize vendors that deliver predictable recurring revenue models and robust training in high-value services such as managed security and data engineering. They seek partners who combine technological excellence with ease of engagement and strong professional services enablement
The landmark issue, spotlighting 200 leading Channel Partners whose visionary strategies and flawless execution are redefining the technology channel ecosystem. The edition also identifies true industry leaders based on sales performance, service excellence, product availability, channel initiatives, and partner incentives. Insights from the survey uncover pressing challenges within the channel ecosystem, offering vendors a roadmap to strengthen partnerships and drive sustainable growth. The survey uncovers, “Channel partners hesitate to share customer data due to trust issues and fear of losing business. Vendors must address this by enforcing transparent channel policies and deploying secure, leakproof systems to protect partner information—building trust and enabling stronger collaboration for growth.”
The Channel Leadership Survey (CLS 2026) highlights who are the OEMs leading in this space while offering the industry vital insights on optimizing channel partnerships.
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Acer localizing its product portfolio to cater to Indian consumers
SANJEEV MEHTANI,
CHIEF SALES OFFICER,
ACER INDIA
“At Acer, we believe our channel partners are the backbone of our growth in India, and strengthening this ecosystem has always been a top priority for us. Over the past year, we have introduced multiple initiatives to enhance partner engagement, profitability, and long-term sustainability. We have expanded our partner programs with structured incentives, joint marketing opportunities, and training modules to help them build expertise around our latest AI PCs, gaming systems, and enterprise solutions. To further enable growth, we have strengthened our regional distributor network, optimized supply chain efficiencies, and invested in digital platforms that provide real-time visibility on inventory, pricing, and support. Beyond transactions, we are also focused on building stronger relationships through regular partner meets, feedback sessions, and certification programs, ensuring our ecosystem is equipped to deliver the best value to customers across India.”
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Streamlining distribution and investments to help partners grow sustainably
PARAG KHURANA,
COUNTRY MANAGER FOR INDIA,
BARRACUDA
“Our priority is to help partners build their business and better serve their customers. To achieve this, we’ve doubled down on partner support through our Partner Success Program, with a clear focus on enablement, lifecycle engagement and incentives. We’re further evolving our partner strategy by extending routes to market. This includes greater automation, improved accessibility, and more ways to transact, which will open up new opportunities for partners and their customers. We are a partner-first company, and our partners need solutions that meet customer demands for robust, adaptive and integrated security. Our award-winning customer support and AI-powered solutions simplify delivery, automate response, and improve visibility. In India, we are streamlining distribution and investing in programs that help partners operate smarter and grow sustainably.”
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Check Point aims to scale its partner ecosystem beyond metros, to Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities
MANISH ALSHI,
SENIOR DIRECTOR, CHANNELS & ALLIANCES,
CHECK POINT SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES, INDIA & SOUTH ASIA
“At Check Point Software, we operate on a 100% channel-driven go-to-market model in India. To strengthen this ecosystem, we launched the New Generation Partner Program (NGPP), which simplifies engagement, enhances profitability, and supports specialization across key solution areas like cloud, endpoint, and network security. We have reduced tier complexity (from six to four), rolled out specializations, and introduced India-specific incentive structures like deal registration benefits, rebates, and the incumbent partner program. We also doubled the channel team size to provide more comprehensive regional support, especially a growing India which is recognising the need for more prevention – first cyber security. These efforts collectively aim to scale the ecosystem beyond metros, reaching Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, MSMEs, and regional partners. Our partner policy is built on four key pillars - Simplicity & Transparency; Enablement & Tools’; Incentivization and Joint growth initiatives.”
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Extensive guidance and access to resources included as part of CommScope PartnerPRO program
MYLARAIAH JN,
VICE PRESIDENT OF BUILDING & CAMPUS BUSINESS, INDIA & SAARC,
COMMSCOPE
“CommScope’s PartnerPRO Network features an exclusive global network of experts designed to help customers and partners discover new revenue opportunities. CommScope has built programs around our four partner types - namely Distributors, Solutions providers, Ecosystem, and Alliance to support our market solutions. Our partners are trained to provide local insights, which puts our high-performance solutions to work. This will provide our customers access to the right provider based on their needs. For our partners, this measure allows them to select the right relationship with CommScope based on their business model and expertise. Extensive guidance and access to resources for partners are also included as part of the PartnerPRO program, to elevate their marketing and technical expertise. Our competitiveness lies in this globally consistent network of the best solutions and the expertise available.”
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Building an ecosystem of Indian Talent, Technology, and Trust
ADITYA KHEMKA,
MANAGING DIRECTOR,
CP PLUS
“Our commitment to promoting growth and prioritizing our partners is evident in the design of our partnership model. We understand that transparency and fairness are essential for building trust and fostering long-term relationships. Therefore, we ensure that our partnership model is built on principles of fairness and transparency. When designing our partnership model, we undertake several key steps to create a thriving and connected ecosystem. Firstly, we conduct thorough market research to understand the needs and challenges of our partners and VARs. This enables us to tailor our programs and initiatives to address their specific requirements effectively. Secondly, we engage in open communication with our partners to gather feedback and insights continuously. Thirdly, with the help of our Mission Tech programme, we provide comprehensive training and support to our partners to empower them with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in today's competitive market.”
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Channel and partner ecosystem engagement continue to be vital for CrowdStrike
JON FOX,
VICE PRESIDENT CHANNELS AND ALLIANCES,
CROWDSTRIKE ASIA PACIFIC AND JAPAN
“CrowdStrike has introduced and expanded multiple initiatives to help our channel ecosystem accelerate their business growth and deliver superior customer outcomes by consolidating on the AI- native CrowdStrike Falcon platform.
Most recently, we announced a new strategic distribution agreement with Redington. We continue to run regional, local, and virtual enablement initiatives, such as our CrowdConnect events and Falcon Champions program, to upskill our partners’ sales teams and technical experts on how best to position CrowdStrike to new and existing customers. As a channel-first company, in providing customers with industry-leading cybersecurity solutions and services — and the force multiplier behind our continued growth. At CrowdStrike, we want our partners to be focused on driving growth of the Falcon platform.”
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Aiming to build a sustainable, growth-driven channel ecosystem
DHRUV KHANNA,
CEO & CO-FOUNDER,
DATA RESOLVE TECHNOLOGIES
“At Data Resolve, we view our channel ecosystem as the backbone of our growth strategy. Over the past year, we have introduced a series of structured initiatives to strengthen partner capabilities and drive market reach. These include:
▶ Comprehensive sales and technical enablement programs to enhance product knowledge and solution positioning.
▶ Joint webinars and co-branded campaigns to generate demand and create customer awareness.
▶ City-level partner engagement events to build stronger regional presence and foster collaboration.
We ensure our partners are equipped not only with a deep understanding of inDefend’s endpoint DLP and insider threat management capabilities, but also with the resources and support required to address evolving customer challenges.”
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Elastic working to create a better experience for its Indian partners
KARTHIK RAJARAM,
AREA VICE PRESIDENT & GENERAL MANAGER, INDIA - ELASTIC
“Over the past year, we have sharpened our focus on enabling partners in India to compete and grow in an environment that is being reshaped by AI. We are currently working to create a better experience for our channel partners in India with an increased headcount, including partner managers, solutions architects, and sales teams. For India and the rest of the world, we are scaling our partner ecosystem using distributors, who in turn make our Search AI solutions for search, observability, and security, readily accessible to customers and other partners in a market. The Elastic AI Ecosystem was announced in November 2024 to provide enterprise developers with a curated, comprehensive set of partner AI technologies and tools integrated with the Elasticsearch vector database, designed to accelerate innovation.”
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Equipping partners to address evolving customer demands
MANOJ GUPTA,
MANAGING DIRECTOR,
FORTUNE MARKETING
"At Fortune Marketing, we believe our channel partners are the backbone of our growth. We are continuously expanding our distribution network to tier II and III cities to ensure deeper market penetration. Alongside, we are investing in training programs, regular partner meets, and digital enablement tools so that our partners are equipped to address evolving customer demands. Our initiatives also include transparent incentive schemes, faster credit support, and joint marketing campaigns to create long-term value for our ecosystem. We were also among the early movers to align with the Make in India initiative.
In 2022, we established a Manufacturing Unit in Noida, where we are producing pen drives, surveillance products, networking devices, and telecom equipment under our in-house brands. Tenda and Secureye’s products are proudly manufactured in India, which not only reduces import dependency but also generates local employment and contributes to India’s self-reliance.”
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Making inroads into the India market through Innovation and Investment
PETER JAYASEELAN,
VP SOUTH ASIA & CHANNELS (APAC),
JABRA
“Jabra has been in India and the rest of the South Asian market for the last 25 years; essentially the company initially catered to the needs of the contact center, when it was a booming industry in India. What this industry required was essentially very good audio devices which could provide crystal clear voice to their customers and also comfort to their agents. During this time, there was a big move towards Unified Communication as a lot of industries, especially the IT industry started embracing it. So that's when we started working with a lot of these partners who provide IT equipment and supporting services to these multinational and software companies, besides the non IT sector and small and medium businesses. Globally, Jabra has always been 100% indirect and would always work along with its partners.”
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NetApp aims to build a trusted, long-term partner ecosystem in India
HITESH JOSHI,
DIRECTOR - CHANNELS AND ALLIANCE, INDIA & SAARC,
NETAPP
“NetApp sees its partners as an extension of its business, and strengthening the channel ecosystem in India continues to be a top priority. Over the past few months, we have rolled out initiatives to help partners capitalise on the growing demand for cloud, AI, and hybrid multicloud solutions. We have expanded our Partner Sphere program to provide deeper training, enablement, and rewards, making it easier for partners to differentiate themselves and deliver greater value to customers. Our focus is on co-innovation — giving partners access to NetApp’s latest cloud-native, data management, and AI-ready infrastructure solutions. We are also investing in regional partner support and co-marketing initiatives in India to build stronger go-to-market motions. By simplifying engagement models, increasing agility in deal support, and creating more opportunities for joint growth, we’re ensuring that our partners are well-equipped to address the evolving needs of Indian enterprises in today’s AI-driven, digital-first economy.”
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India set to become the second-largest region for Nutanix globally
HARSH VAISHNAV,
DIRECTOR AND HEAD OF CHANNELS, SOUTHERN ASIA,
NUTANIX
“Nutanix is a partner-first company. Our channel strategy is built on simplicity, flexibility, and ease of engagement, ensuring that customer and partner success remain central to everything we do. Over the past year, we have introduced several initiatives under our partner program, Elevate, from enhanced deal-registration benefits and stackable rebates to the Surge incentive for net-new accounts, particularly following VMware migrations to our platform. We have also advanced channel autonomy, enabling partners to manage deals with reduced friction, supported by competencies, Sizer accreditations, and simplified SKUs. In India, this approach has been strengthened through deeper collaboration with leading distributors, OEMs and Premier partners, along with enablement around AI, Kubernetes, and migration toolchains such as Nutanix Move, equipping partners to build sustainable, service-led practices enabled by the Nutanix Cloud Platform.”
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Channel acts as Optoma’s extended arms to reach out to diverse customer segments
VIJAY SHARMA,
MANAGING DIRECTOR,
OPTOMA TECHNOLOGY
“With the aim of building stronger relationships with local dealers, after operating in India for more than a decade, we opened our head office in New Delhi last year. This strategic expansion is helping us to build a robust channel ecosystem, enabling seamless operations across the country and providing more flexible, comprehensive global services to our partners.
Over the past few years, Optoma has also strengthened its relationships with partners in the country by following fair and transparent policies that ensure healthy margins while maintaining attractive pricing across our entire product range. These partners are the backbone of our operations and have contributed significantly to our growth trajectory. Our Channel partner’s local presence and strong relationships enable us to access markets that would otherwise be difficult to reach directly.”
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Pure Storage strengthens its partner ecosystem by investing in their long- term success
JITHESH CHEMBIL,
HEAD OF CHANNELS,
PURE STORAGE INDIA
“At Pure Storage, our commitment to strengthening the channel ecosystem in India begins with investing in the long-term success of our partners. Over the last year, we have introduced targeted programs to expand partner capabilities, enhance profitability, and accelerate go-to-market execution.
Our Pure WaveMakers partner program has been adapted for India to include specialized training modules, co-marketing support, and market development funds to help partners reach new customers in high-growth segments such as BFSI, manufacturing, and healthcare. We have also launched advanced digital tools that provide partners with real-time deal insights, asset management capabilities, and predictive renewal analytics, empowering them to identify opportunities faster and serve customers more effectively. Pure Storage solutions are designed to help Indian enterprises and SMEs stay ahead in a rapidly evolving digital economy.”
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Securonix commits to innovating locally and investing in people & partnerships
DIPESH KAURA,
COUNTRY DIRECTOR – INDIA & SAARC,
SECURONIX
“The channel partner program is the core of our growth strategy. Currently, approximately 64% of our global revenue comes from channel partnerships. We at Securonix continue to strengthen our channel ecosystem through certification and training programs for our various channel partners. Our channel program, “Securonix Elevate Program,” is a strategic initiative designed to foster collaborative relationships that drive mutual growth and profitability. This enables solutions and service providers, including Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs), Value Added Resellers (VARs), Technology Partners, System Integrators, and Technology Services Distributors (TSDs), to leverage the new SecOps capabilities from Securonix Agentic AI. For Securonix, India is not just another market but also our strategic innovation hub. 70% of our global workforce is based in India, where our R&D centers in Pune and Bangalore are delivering our core product innovation.”
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Equipping partners to deliver trusted IoT solutions across industries
MANISH KOTHARI,
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT,
SILICON LABS
“At Silicon Labs, we view our channel ecosystem as a true extension of our team. Over the past year, we’ve worked closely with our partners in India to provide not only access to our latest secure wireless technologies, but also training, design support, and joint go-to-market programs. Our focus has been on equipping partners with the knowledge and resources to deliver trusted IoT solutions across industries like smart cities, healthcare, and manufacturing. We have also expanded collaboration with distributors and solution providers to ensure our Secure Vault-enabled products are widely accessible. Make in India is a significant driver of digital growth, and we fully support its vision. Our Hyderabad R&D center is a testament to this — it plays a central role in developing and validating secure semiconductor solutions locally.”
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Snowflake's success closely linked to the growth and success of partners
DHIRAJ NARANG,
DIRECTOR AND HEAD OF PARTNERSHIPS- INDIA,
SNOWFLAKE
Dhiraj Narang, Director and Head of Partnerships- India, Snowflake “Snowflake’s growth is deeply rooted in the synergies that our partners drive with us. Snowflake’s partner ecosystem plays a pivotal role in helping businesses unlock the power of data. To power our growth, we have made significant investments in developing a robust Snowflake Partner Network (SPN), consisting of a broad array of cloud, services, technology, data providers, advisory firms, system integrators (SIs), and specialized resellers to scale customer outcomes. Our partners are strategically aligned with Snowflake’s core goals: creating new routes to market, acquiring new customers, helping our joint customers extract value out of their Snowflake investments, and meeting industry-specific needs. Our partners play a critical role in helping organizations build robust data foundations—tackling challenges around governance, security, scalability, and collaboration— and helping unlock the full power of AI.”
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Socomec’s vision is to serve as a trusted partner in India’s energy transition
MEENU SINGHAL,
REGIONAL MANAGING DIRECTOR,
SOCOMEC, GREATER INDIA
“At Socomec, we follow a holistic approach to building a future-ready channel ecosystem in India. The Power+ Partner Program is at the heart of this strategy, offering structured onboarding and access to our complete portfolio of power management solutions. To drive digital empowerment, our MySocomec Partner Relationship Management (PRM) platform provides real-time access to sales tools, marketing resources, deal registration, and lead generation.
India’s energy landscape is transforming rapidly with digitization, renewable adoption, and the rising demand for reliable power. Over the next five years, Socomec aims to empower Indian enterprises, SMEs, and critical infrastructure providers with solutions that ensure uninterrupted availability, higher energy efficiency, and lower carbon footprint. We are expanding our local manufacturing footprint in alignment with the Make in India vision while maintaining world-class quality and innovation.”
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SolarWinds committed to its partners through collaboration, shared growth and a unified vision
ROHIT KUMAR SHUKLA,
SENIOR SALES DIRECTOR, INDIA & SAARC,
SOLARWINDS
“At SolarWinds India, significant investment has been directed toward building a resilient channel ecosystem. The recent appointment of Sukhdeep Singh as the head of channel sales for Asia-Pacific and Japan underscores this focus, aiming to strengthen partner alliances, expand regional reach, and accelerate growth in the observability and IT management software business. Across regions, SolarWinds actively invests in the partner ecosystem through SolarWinds Partner Summits. The APJ summit in Phuket, for example, brought together partners to gain exclusive insights into the company’s strategic vision, learn about the latest advancements, and explore effective sales strategies. In India we are a channel-first company helping partners to go beyond product sales and provide strategic consulting, industry insights, and expertise in implementation and support for their customers.”
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Enabling partners to deliver integrated cybersecurity outcomes
DEBASISH MUKHERJEE,
VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES, APJ,
SONICWALL
“Cyberattacks continue to increase in volume, velocity and sophistication, with ransomware, phishing, credential theft and zero-day threats targeting organizations of every size. The New SonicWall is secure, smart and scalable. It has evolved from a firewall vendor into a unified cybersecurity platform that protects across cloud, network and endpoint while supporting modern service delivery. Unified platform management — a single control layer that lets partners simplify operations, gain complete visibility and manage security outcomes for multiple customers. For partners, this means fewer silos, streamlined service delivery and a portfolio designed for recurring revenue.
SonicWall also builds service readiness into the platform. Partners can extend their offerings with SonicSentry and the Managed Protection Security Suite (MPSS)."
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Sophos’ channel engagement policy comprises of Transparency, Fairness, and Growth
RAJEEV GUPTA,
DIRECTOR OF CHANNEL SALES, INDIA & SAARC,
SOPHOS
“At Sophos, our partners are at the heart of our go-to-market strategy. Over the past year, we have enhanced the Partner Program to make it more rewarding, flexible, and transparent. The introduction of Sophos Partner Care has created a 24x7 single point of contact for partners, reducing operational delays and helping them close deals faster. The launch of our local data center in Mumbai further strengthens the ecosystem by giving partners the ability to offer customers low-latency services that meet India’s data sovereignty requirements. Sophos solutions are designed to simplify security while ensuring resilience. Sophos Central provides unified cloud management, making it easier for businesses to secure hybrid environments. Flexible subscription and MSP models make enterprise-grade security affordable for SMEs, while continuous updates from SophosLabs keep organizations ahead of emerging threats.”
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Helping partners successfully drive growth within India’s cybersecurity market
RAJNISH GUPTA,
MANAGING DIRECTOR AND COUNTRY MANAGER,
TENABLE INDIA
“Tenable, through its channel partnership, is committed to building a symbiotic growth relationship with our partners. In India, we continue to invest in training, certifications, and ongoing support to help partners enhance profitability and accelerate business outcomes.
We provide a wide range of resources, including sales and technical training, sales enablement tools, market development funds, purchase discounts, and pre-sales support. In addition, our programs enable partners to cross-sell validated Tenable integrations with other leading security vendors and leverage Tenable solutions to expand their own managed services offerings. Through these initiatives, we ensure our partners have both the resources and the incentives to successfully drive growth within India’s fast-evolving cybersecurity market. Tenable’s AI-driven exposure management platform helps Indian enterprises stay ahead of these evolving threats.”
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Trend Micro works with partners who commit to transitioning from Resellers to Strategic Advisors
HIMANSHU KUMAR GUPTA,
SR DIRECTOR - GOVERNMENT BUSINESS & CHANNELS, INDIA & SAARC,
TREND MICRO
“Our success in India is linked to our partners; hence, we invest heavily in their success and, indirectly, our success as well. Over the past few years, we have shifted from a transactional to an ecosystem model where partners can develop into trusted advisors to their customers. A significant part of this shift is our enablement framework. Through the Trend Campus platform, partners get the capability to pick up role-based training and certifications, either in sales, presales, or services, thus gaining hands-on experience in areas like AI-powered threat intelligence, advanced detection, and automated risk response. Our Partner Competency Programme helps to certify a partner's maturity in high-growth areas like Managed Services and Incident Response. In addition, the engagement models have been streamlined, robust technical support has been introduced, and co-selling programs have been initiated.”
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For Vehere, channel engagement is all about true partnerships
SANJAY BHARDWAJ,
MD, INDIA AND ASEAN,
VEHERE
“At Vehere, we recognize that our partners are central to our growth and customer success. Over the last year, we’ve taken deliberate steps to strengthen the channel ecosystem in India. This includes introducing structured partner enablement programs with deeper technical training, sales certifications, and joint go-to-market initiatives. We have also enhanced deal registration and margin protection policies to ensure transparency and profitability for our partners. Beyond this, we are investing in co-marketing campaigns, demand generation activities, and localized support to help partners expand their reach. Our goal is simple: to build a channel ecosystem where partners see Vehere not just as a vendor, but as a trusted growth ally in cybersecurity and intelligence. We don’t just hand over a product brochure and walk away, we work hand-in-hand with our partners on every account, right from opportunity identification to closing deals and supporting deployments.”
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Zebra Technologies focuses on building localized partnerships in high- growth markets
SUBRAMANIAM THIRUPPATHI,
DIRECTOR ISC,
ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES
Zebra Technologies strengthens its channel ecosystem in India through the PartnerFirst program, part of the global PartnerConnect framework, which equips partners with AI-driven tools, specialized solutions, and comprehensive training for sectors like manufacturing, logistics, and retail. We regularly engage partners through events like the India Partner Summit, where we introduced AI-powered solutions to enhance asset visibility and operational efficiency, and TechDays, which provide hands-on training in advanced technologies like IoT and automation.
To expand reach, we focus on building localized partnerships in high-growth markets, ensuring access to advanced technologies and addressing regional challenges. By collaborating with distributors and technology integrators, we empower partners to deliver real-time visibility, scalable solutions, and customer success, driving productivity and cost efficiency across industries.”
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