AI is changing the game for global trade: Nagendra Bandaru, Wipro

Global trade is no longer just about moving goods from point A to point B, it’s about navigating shifting tariffs, being compliant, and staying ahead of disruptions that can shake entire industries. We caught up with Nagendra Bandaru, President – Technology Services at Wipro, to talk about how AI, especially the rise of agentic AI, is helping businesses turn complexity into strategy, build more resilient supply chains, and make smarter decisions faster than ever before.

How do you see AI evolving as a complement to global trade policy, enabling data-driven decisions without replacing the role of policymakers?

Artificial intelligence has the potential to support global trade policy by providing greater precision, speed, and analytical capability in complex decision-making contexts. In the case of tariffs, specifically, AI can interpret vast datasets around trade flows and compliance regulations to highlight patterns, simulate scenarios, and predict potential bottlenecks. The policymakers can then use these insights to make informed, timely, and context-sensitive decisions. 

At Wipro, we see AI as an enabler of evidence-based policy execution, supporting regulatory frameworks while preserving the essential human judgement and diplomacy required in trade policy.

From your vantage point, what are the most significant trends you’re observing in how industries are leveraging AI for global supply chain and trade management?

AI is revolutionising global supply chain and trade management by enabling businesses across industries to make real-time, intelligent decisions. This transformative shift is driven by the deployment of AI agents, which dynamically respond to changing tariff regimes, logistics constraints, and demand fluctuations. Moving beyond traditional static models, AI agents are helping create more adaptive and responsive supply chains.

Moreover, organisations are increasingly embracing hybrid environments that integrate cloud infrastructure, data platforms, and AI capabilities. This integration supports secure and distributed data exchanges that are critical for trade workloads, which demand both compliance and resilience. 

The strategic focus is also evolving. While cost optimisation remains important, AI is now being leveraged to de-risk operations, anticipate geopolitical disruptions, and ensure continuity. In essence, agentic AI is reshaping supply chains into predictive, adaptive ecosystems that align more closely with the complexities of global trade.

Could you share how Wipro is using agentic AI to help enterprises interpret shifting tariff regimes and recalibrate trade operations across different geographies?

Wipro is harnessing the power of agentic AI to help enterprises navigate the complexities of shifting tariff regimes and recalibrate trade operations across geographies. At the core of this is the deployment of autonomous AI agents that operate within complex trade environments. These agents continuously monitor updates to tariff structures, free trade agreement (FTA) eligibility rules, and customs requirements across multiple jurisdictions. By interpreting these changes in real time, the agents then recommend operational recalibrations such as alternative sourcing strategies, optimised routing, and dynamic documentation adjustments. This enables enterprises to minimise costs and delays while maintaining compliance and resilience.

Wipro’s agentic solutions are designed to be sector-specific, with implementations already underway in industries such as healthcare, energy & utilities, and retail. These agents are built to adapt to new data and make complex decisions independently, allowing clients to implement data-driven changes swiftly while preserving governance and security standards.

Can you give a real-world example of how this solution has helped a client build resilience into their supply chain amid geopolitical or regulatory uncertainty?

A global retailer client was facing recurring disruptions due to shifting tariffs and customs requirements across dozens of countries. They selected Wipro to optimise its international product distribution and supply chains.

We deployed an agentic AI solution that automated FTA eligibility checks and customs documentation. The implementation allowed the client to realise significant cost savings, faster go-to-market for products, and greater resilience in face of regulatory volatility. We are seeing more clients apply AI to supply chain and trade management to future-proof global trade operations.

How does Wipro’s AI-driven trade management solution go beyond compliance and efficiency to unlock strategic advantages for global enterprises?

Wipro’s AI-driven trade management solution is designed not merely to ensure compliance and operational efficiency—it is engineered to unlock strategic advantages that reshape how global enterprises approach trade.

The solution reimagines trade operations as a predictive intelligence engine. Rather than functioning as a reactive compliance tool, it enables simulation of sourcing routes under evolving policy, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) mandates, and sanctions. This empowers enterprises to make faster, safer, and smarter decisions that are aligned with real-time global demands.

It goes further by integrating AI across enterprise resource planning (ERP), supply chain, legal, and compliance systems to automate classification, detect rule misalignments, and secure trade workflows. It delivers explainable, audit-ready insights that support strategic decisions at the C-suite level—such as market entry, supplier diversification, and capital allocation.

Wipro has been investing in AI-driven platforms, cross-border partnerships, and R&D around intelligent trade systems. Could you elaborate on how these efforts are shaping the future of global trade?

Through the Wipro Innovation Network (WIN), our Partner Labs, and strategic collaborations with hyperscalers, startups, and academic institutions, we are building domain-specific language models for cross-industry requirements. 

For example, we are developing small language models (SLMs) optimised for customs documentation, procurement, and logistics workflows. We also embed responsible AI frameworks across these systems to ensure fairness, transparency, and compliance at scale. These investments are helping us, and our clients, move beyond fragmented tools towards integrated, intelligent trade systems that can anticipate, adapt, and innovate across global markets.

What do you see as the next frontier in the intersection of AI, global trade, and enterprise innovation and how is Wipro preparing to lead in that space?

The next frontier is going to be threefold: first, the rise of agentic AI at scale marks a shift from isolated use cases to enterprise-wide deployment of autonomous agents capable of managing end-to-end trade ecosystems; second, the development of sovereign and domain-specific language models is enabling lightweight, highly contextualised solutions that uphold data sovereignty while delivering robust, enterprise-grade outcomes; and third, the convergence of AI with emerging technologies—including blockchain for provenance and quantum computing for optimisation—is poised to redefine global trade dynamics. 

At Wipro, we are preparing to lead. We are investing in talent – over 87,000 employees are certified in advanced AI skills, expanding our AI-first partnerships, and embedding innovation labs across industries. This ensures that we do not just respond to current business challenges, but we actively shape the future of resilient, intelligent, and AI-driven enterprises.