Infosys & Telstra JV Boosts AI Cloud in Australia
Infosys, a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, has announced a significant joint venture with Telstra, Australia’s leading telecommunications and technology company, aimed at accelerating AI-powered cloud and digital transformation for Australian businesses. This strategic collaboration sees Infosys acquire a 75% stake in Versent Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Telstra, for approximately A$233.25 million (around US$153 million or Rs 1,300 crore). The deal, expected to close in the second half of fiscal year 2026, is subject to regulatory approvals including from Australia’s Foreign Investment Review Board and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
Under the terms of the joint venture, Infosys will assume operational control of Versent Group, while Telstra will retain a 25% minority stake, underscoring its continued confidence in the venture’s growth potential. This partnership is designed to combine Telstra’s extensive connectivity and market presence in Australia with Versent’s local digital engineering expertise and Infosys’ global scale and advanced technology capabilities.
The formation of this joint venture aligns with Infosys’ broader strategy to guide clients through their AI adoption journeys. Infosys plans to significantly boost Versent Group’s existing cloud and digital transformation capabilities by integrating its own cutting-edge AI suite, Infosys Topaz, and its cloud offering, Infosys Cobalt. The collaboration will also leverage the cybersecurity expertise of The Missing Link, aiming to deliver a new wave of differentiated value and accelerate end-to-end digital transformation for both Australian enterprises and government corporations.
For Telstra, this move is a key component of its new five-year strategy, “Connected Future 30,” which was announced in May 2025 and focuses heavily on core connectivity and supporting infrastructure. Telstra had acquired Versent for A$267.5 million in late 2023 to scale its enterprise technology services business, Telstra Purple, and subsequently rolled Telstra Purple Cloud and Epicon into Versent earlier this year. By partnering with Infosys, Telstra aims to enhance its digital transformation efforts and accelerate AI-enabled solutions while focusing on its foundational telecommunications business.
Versent Group, with its team of 650 engineers, advisors, and strategists across Australia, has built a strong reputation for assisting Australian enterprises in designing and implementing cloud strategies. The company primarily serves large blue-chip organizations across critical sectors such as government and education, financial institutions, energy, and utilities. This existing local presence and client base will significantly strengthen Infosys’ footprint in the Australian market.
This joint venture marks a deepening of an already established relationship between Infosys and Telstra. The two companies previously forged a multi-year collaboration in 2024 to accelerate Telstra’s software engineering and IT transformation, followed by an expanded partnership in 2025 with Telstra International to support the “Connected Future 30” strategy. The current collaboration is poised to unlock new growth opportunities and drive large-scale innovation projects across Australia and New Zealand, positioning the combined entity to capitalize on a rapidly growing AI-driven telecom market projected to reach $58.74 billion by 2032.