Embracing Change: Channel Partners Rise with the Tide of Emerging Technologies

In today’s fast-evolving digital economy, emerging technologies are no longer just transforming business operations—they are reshaping the future of channel partners. Distributors, Value- Added Distributors (VADs), and system integrators are seizing new opportunities by aligning with cutting-edge innovations that enterprises now demand.

As customer expectations grow more sophisticated, businesses increasingly seek more than just products; they look to channel partners for strategic advisory, managed services, and customized solutions. This shift is pushing partners to upskill, invest in certifications, and form deeper  alliances  within  the  broader tech ecosystem. Those who stay ahead in areas like AI, Cloud, Cybersecurity, and Edge Computing are best positioned to lead the next wave of digital transformation.

Recognizing this pivotal moment, VARINDIA engaged with some of the leading channel partners, especially Value-Added Distributors, to capture their perspectives on navigating this transformation.  The  conversations  focused  on  key  questions:

Which emerging technologies are they prioritizing in their business strategies—and why? How prepared are they to offer cybersecurity- as-a-service to meet growing customer concerns over data protection and compliance? What customer demand trends are they seeing around hybrid cloud adoption or cloud repatriation? And how are they enhancing their teams' capabilities through certifications and skill- building initiatives? Their perspectives reflect a broader industry reality: the partners who embrace continuous learning and adapt to emerging technologies will be the ones driving future growth in an increasingly competitive digital marketplace.

Revolutionizing technology distribution with AI and cloud services

NAVNEET SINGH BINDRA
SVP & CHIEF COUNTRY EXECUTIVE, INGRAM MICRO INDIA

We are aiming to revolutionize the entire technology distribution sphere, and we will continue leveraging every digital technology that can help us embrace and drive an industry- wide transformation. Our self-learning, intelligent digital experiential platform, Ingram Micro Xvantage, leverages the power of AI to deliver a personalized experience to our customers. We are continuously working to optimize this platform to make it more enriching and seamless not only for our customers but also for our associates, partners, and vendors. It’s an evolving ecosystem that reflects our commitment to innovation and customer-centricity.

SCALING CLOUD, EDGE, AND SECURITY

Similarly, we have started offering a wide range of Cybersecurity, Edge Computing, and Cloud Services to help our customers accelerate their digital transformation journeys. As the demand for Cloud, Cybersecurity, and digital services continues to grow exponentially, we are taking every necessary action to ensure that our customers are equipped to leverage these technologies effectively and stay ahead in the digital curve.

TAILORED BUSINESS CYBER DEFENCE

The rapid expansion of the digital world has exposed organizations to a wide range of potential security threats. Whether it’s a large enterprise or a small or medium-sized business, every organization is looking to reinforce its security posture, safeguard its critical infrastructure and digital assets, and ensure compliance with regulatory frameworks across jurisdictions. That’s why we have developed a comprehensive and specifically curated portfolio of Cybersecurity solutions to help our customers with round-the-clock monitoring, endpoint protection, threat intelligence, network security, and compliance-driven security frameworks. Our strong partnerships with leading security OEMs and the expertise of our in-house cybersecurity teams enable us to deliver top-tier services to customers across industries, regardless of their current stage in the digital maturity lifecycle.

BUNDLED SOLUTIONS AND SUPPORT

In recent years, we’ve also seen increased demand for hybrid cloud models. Organizations prefer hybrid cloud for its agility, control, flexibility, and cost-efficiency. The combination of public cloud scalability and private cloud performance and security makes it highly attractive. Alongside this, we’re also seeing a growing conversation around cloud repatriation, as businesses reassess their public cloud commitments. Our role is to offer bundled solutions, expert consultation, and comprehensive post-sales support to help our partners make the best choices.

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Future-ready technology at the core of Iris Global’s innovation

SANJIV KRISHEN
FOUNDER CMD, IRIS GLOBAL SERVICES

Iris Global has always been at the forefront of delivering innovative and future-ready technology solutions that meet the dynamic needs of our partners and the wider channel ecosystem. Today, Artificial Intelligence (AI) stands out as a major priority for us, driven by a sharp increase in demand for intelligent, reliable solutions that enhance end-customer experiences and generate new revenue opportunities. Alongside AI, we continue to see strong momentum in Cloud and Cybersecurity, especially with new regulatory frameworks like the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) policy gaining prominence. Edge Computing, too, is critical, as businesses expand into multi- location, multi-platform operations requiring smarter, faster solutions. Collectively, these emerging technologies form the cornerstone of our growth strategy and value proposition.

BUILDING A SECURE FUTURE

Cybersecurity has become an essential focus area for organizations across industries, and at Iris Global, we are fully geared to meet this rising demand. We have developed a strong Cybersecurity product portfolio that enables our partners to deliver Cybersecurity-as-a- Service (CSaaS) offerings to their customers. A key part of our strategy involves supporting Made in India solutions, which are particularly important for government and federal projects. Through our extensive partner network, we are helping deliver advanced, compliance- driven cybersecurity services that not only protect sensitive data but also create new avenues for sustainable growth and profitability.

DRIVING HYBRID CLOUD & REPATRIATION

We are seeing significant growth in demand for hybrid cloud solutions as well as cloud repatriation services, driven by the need for greater agility, data sovereignty, and cost management. Iris Global has curated a wide portfolio of cloud products to address public, private, and hybrid cloud requirements. Our channel partners are fully equipped to offer hybrid deployments and help customers repatriate workloads back on-premises when needed, ensuring they retain control over critical data assets. This flexible, customer-centric approach strengthens both customer satisfaction and partner capabilities.

UPSKILLING FOR FUTURE TECH

At Iris Global, continuous learning and upskilling are deeply embedded in our culture. With a strong presence across over 70 global IT brands – including Dell, HP, and Acer – we consistently invest in certification programs and skill-building initiatives. Collaborating closely with OEMs and solution providers, we ensure our teams are fully prepared to deliver cutting-edge solutions in AI, Cloud, Cybersecurity, and Edge Computing. This commitment to upskilling not only sharpens our execution but also reinforces our position as a trusted, future- ready technology enabler in the market.

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Cloud, cybersecurity, and certifications fuel iValue’s vision

R VENKATESH
CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER, IVALUE GROUP

We are currently prioritizing Cloud as a core focus area in our business strategy. Hybrid cloud, in particular, is becoming increasingly relevant for a wide range of customers. Many organizations are finding it to be the ideal approach, especially when it comes to balancing mission-critical applications that need to stay on-premise with the flexibility of running other workloads in the cloud. This hybrid model offers the right mix of control, scalability, and efficiency—giving businesses the agility they need without compromising on management or performance.

MEETING MODERN THREATS WITH SERVICES

Cybersecurity-as-a-service is another space where we've seen strong growth and interest. Over the past two to three years, customer confidence in this model has grown significantly. Several of our offerings are already aligned to deliver cybersecurity as a service, and this is a trend we expect will continue. As cybersecurity threats become more sophisticated and compliance requirements more demanding, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for organizations to handle all aspects internally. Outsourcing these services to trusted partners ensures better protection while reducing the burden on internal teams.

HYBRID AND REPATRIATION SURGE

When it comes to cloud services, we’re witnessing growing demand in two key areas—hybrid cloud adoption and cloud repatriation. Businesses are increasingly turning to channel partners for strategic guidance on their cloud journeys. Hybrid cloud allows companies to retain sensitive or legacy systems on-premise while leveraging the cloud for innovation and scale. At the same time, cloud repatriation— where workloads are moved back from public cloud environments—is gaining momentum, particularly in regulated sectors like BFSI. Large enterprises are also considering it for cost optimization, enhanced control, and performance benefits. This shift highlights the need for nuanced, well-crafted cloud strategies that go beyond one-size-fits-all solutions.

SKILLS THAT DRIVE IMPACT

We take skill-building very seriously and have embedded certification and learning programs into our Key Result Areas. This applies not only to our technical teams but also to our sales teams. Since we work with state-of-the-art technologies, it’s essential that our teams are well-equipped to support our partner ecosystem. Partners frequently turn to us for technical insights and deployment support, and we ensure that our teams have the expertise to meet those expectations consistently.

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Leading the way in hybrid cloud and cybersecurity

BHARATH POOVAIAH
BUSINESS HEAD, TEXONIC INSTRUMENTS

We are strategically aligned with technology vendors who specialize in AI, Cybersecurity, Cloud, and Edge computing. These pillars are central to how we enable channel partners to deliver value-added solutions to their customers. By focusing on these domains, we aim to provide our partners with future-ready offerings that address both current business challenges and long-term growth objectives. Everything we do is designed to help partners serve their customers more effectively, and that continues to be our core mission.

CO-CREATING CYBERSECURITY EXCELLENCE

Texonic Instruments does not offer cybersecurity-as-a-service directly. Instead, we enable channel partners to build their own managed security services by collaborating with top-tier cybersecurity vendors offering scalable, service-oriented solutions. We support partners in delivering offerings such as threat detection, compliance, Zero Trust architecture, endpoint and network protection, OT/IoT security, and vulnerability management. As end customers seek more than just products— looking for ongoing services, strategic guidance, and compliance support—our expert team works closely with partners to co-create tailored cybersecurity solutions that meet specific industry needs, helping them deliver long-term value in a fast-evolving digital landscape.

GUIDING SMART CLOUD DECISIONS

We are seeing increasing demand for hybrid cloud architectures as organizations seek to blend the flexibility of public cloud with the control of on-premise infrastructure. More businesses are shifting to “cloud-smart” strategies instead of strictly “cloud-first” approaches. Interest in cloud repatriation is also rising, particularly among mid-to-large enterprises optimizing costs or addressing latency, data residency, and compliance concerns. Customers are pursuing workload-specific deployments, and we help channel partners guide those decisions. Texonic Instruments supports this shift by enabling partners to build hybrid and multi-cloud environments with analytics, cost modelling, and migration support to achieve strategic customer outcomes.

UPSKILLING FOR PARTNER SUCCESS

Continuous learning is a core part of our value proposition to partners. Our internal teams regularly undergo certifications and product training to stay aligned with the latest technology trends. In turn, we extend this knowledge to our partners through enablement workshops, vendor-led sessions, and hands-on labs—ensuring that our entire ecosystem is technically empowered to deliver high-impact solutions to customers. By investing in upskilling, we help partners stay agile, credible, and competitive in a rapidly evolving technology landscape.

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Committed to empowering secure digital transformation globally

VEERANNA GANIGERE
COUNTRY MANAGER - INDIA, EXCLUSIVE NETWORKS

At Exclusive Networks, our business strategy is deeply rooted in prioritizing cybersecurity as the foundational layer for all emerging technologies we engage with. While AI, Cloud, and Edge computing are reshaping the global tech ecosystem, our role as a trusted global cybersecurity specialist positions us uniquely to ensure these technologies are delivered securely, scalably, and successfully. Through our exclusive go-to-market model, global reach, and local expertise, we remain committed to being the most trusted cybersecurity specialist in the channel—empowering our vendors and partners to capitalize on innovation securely.

SECURING TOMORROW, AS-A-SERVICE

In an era where digital transformation is accelerating and cyber threats are growing more sophisticated, businesses are under immense pressure to protect sensitive data, ensure regulatory compliance, and maintain operational resilience. We are strategically and operationally well-prepared to address these evolving customer concerns by delivering cybersecurity- as-a-service (CaaS)—a scalable, adaptive, and outcome-driven approach to modern security challenges. Exclusive Networks is not only prepared—we are leading the transformation of cybersecurity into an as-a-service model. Through our platforms, partnerships, and people, we are enabling the secure digital future businesses demand, with a clear focus on protection, compliance, and value delivery.\

NAVIGATING THE CLOUD SHIFT

We are seeing a clear evolution in how enterprises approach their cloud strategies—particularly with rising interest in hybrid cloud architecture and a growing trend of cloud repatriation. These shifts are not just technical, but strategic, increasingly influenced by factors such as cost optimization, regulatory compliance, performance management, and most critically, data sovereignty and security. As a cybersecurity specialist with a global footprint, we are uniquely positioned to help partners and customers navigate this complexity securely, efficiently, and confidently. Through our specialist vendor portfolio, global services infrastructure, and digital platforms like X-OD, we empower partners to secure the hybrid future of IT—where cloud flexibility meets on-premises control, and where security is never compromised.

SKILLS FOR THE FUTURE

We recognize that our ability to deliver cutting-edge cybersecurity and emerging technology solutions is only as strong as the skills, knowledge, expertise, and agility of our teams. As the global tech ecosystem evolves—with innovations in AI, Cloud, Edge Computing, and Cybersecurity—our teams are actively undergoing certifications, continuous learning, and structured skill-building programs to ensure we stay ahead of the curve—and more importantly, ahead of customer expectations.

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Securing the Cloud, Empowering the Channel

HARIKRISHNA PRABHU
COO, TECHNOBIND SOLUTIONS

At TechnoBind, our focus has always been on the entire data lifecycle—from creation to management, protection, and archival. Within this lifecycle, security plays an integral role, becoming increasingly critical as data environments grow more complex and distributed. Recognizing the rising threat landscape and the growing need for specialized expertise, we established a dedicated cybersecurity business unit three years ago. Since then, it has become our fastest-growing and largest revenue contributor, clearly reflecting the urgency with which enterprises are approaching cybersecurity today. Our ongoing efforts are directed at expanding and evolving this portfolio—not just to address today’s risks but to enable our partners to deliver more robust, scalable solutions to their customers. By doing so, we ensure cybersecurity remains a core pillar of digital transformation, embedded across cloud, AI, and data-driven environments.

ENABLING SERVICE-LED CYBERSECURITY

Cybersecurity-as-a-Service is still an evolving concept, and we are seeing growing interest from both partners and customers. At TechnoBind, we work closely with our cybersecurity vendors to channel back inquiries, share ground-level feedback, and co-develop service models where relevant. We’ve already executed service-led engagements on a case-to-case basis, depending on the specific needs and complexity of the customer environment. These have included areas such as managed endpoint protection, identity governance, and cloud security monitoring. Our role is to enable partners to explore and build these service models themselves while we support them through vendor alignment, solution packaging, and technical guidance. This also ties into our broader effort to grow and skill our cybersecurity team to empower partners to meet evolving security demands.

OPTIMIZING WORKLOADS ACROSS CLOUDS

There is a strong uptick in hybrid cloud adoption, especially in data-sensitive sectors like BFSI and healthcare. Organizations are realizing that “cloud-first” doesn’t always mean “cloud-only.” Enterprises are reassessing workloads for performance, cost, and regulatory needs, which is driving demand for cloud repatriation and hybrid optimization. This is creating opportunities for security-focused conversations around data sovereignty, CASBs, identity management, and workload migration.

PRIORITIZING SKILLS AND CERTIFICATIONS
We are an enablement-first distributor. Our teams and partners consistently undergo certifications and workshops with OEMs. From zero-trust to data protection, encryption, identity management, and compliance, skill-building remains a continuous and strategic priority. Technical depth sets true VADs apart in cybersecurity enablement success.

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Empowering partners with AI, cybersecurity, and hybrid cloud

RAJESH KUMAR
SR. VP - TECH BUSINESS UNIT, INFLOW TECHNOLOGIES

While AI, Cloud, Cybersecurity, and Edge are all crucial and interconnected, cybersecurity has to be a foundational priority. As businesses adopt more digital infrastructure, their vulnerability to cyber threats grows significantly. A major breach can lead to catastrophic operational disruptions, financial losses, and reputational damage. Therefore, robust cybersecurity isn't merely a tech concern—it’s essential for business continuity, resilience, and long-term risk mitigation across the entire digital ecosystem.

AI-FIRST CLOUD STRATEGY

Cloud adoption is often the enabler for leveraging AI and scaling Edge deployments effectively.

It provides the necessary scalability, flexibility, and access to powerful computing resources and managed services needed for modern applications, data analytics, and AI model training/deployment. AI is arguably the technology with the most transformative potential currently. Businesses are prioritizing AI to unlock new efficiencies (automation), gain deeper insights from data (analytics, prediction), enhance customer experiences (personalization, chatbots), and create innovative products/services. While Cybersecurity and Cloud are often foundational, AI is frequently the key driver for competitive advantage and future growth.

EXPERTISE-DRIVEN CYBER DEFENCE

As a value-added distributor, Inflow possesses significant technical expertise across a wide range of cybersecurity vendors within its portfolio. Our technical teams are skilled in understanding, configuring, and supporting these technologies for both customers and partners. Inflow’s core strength lies in its portfolio of leading cybersecurity technologies—including SIEM, SOAR, EDR, firewalls, cloud security, DSPM—and the strong technical team that knows how these tools integrate to address data protection and compliance concerns effectively.

HYBRID STRATEGY, SKILLED EXECUTION

Hybrid cloud remains the dominant strategy for a majority of medium and large enterprises. The demand now focuses on seamless integration, management, and optimization across environments. There is huge interest in solutions like SD-WAN, SASE, hybrid cloud security, and unified threat visibility. Additionally, demand for cloud repatriation is growing—not to abandon cloud—but to correct earlier strategies and rebalance workloads. We also see increasing demand for tools that enable secure data movement and application integration. As a VAD, we place a strong emphasis on continuous learning by investing in regular certifications and structured upskilling programs. This ensures that both our internal teams and channel partners remain equipped with the latest knowledge, technical expertise, and capabilities to address evolving customer needs and technology landscapes.