Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) has signed an MoU with IIT Hyderabad to establish a Centre of Excellence (CoE) focused on next-generation communication technologies, including 6G, AI-driven networks, cybersecurity, quantum communications and advanced wireless systems. The initiative aims to strengthen India’s telecom innovation ecosystem and accelerate indigenous research under the vision of Viksit Bharat.
Key Highlights
🔹 C-DOT and IIT Hyderabad signed an MoU to establish a Centre of Excellence in Advanced Communication Technologies.
🔹 The CoE will focus on 6G, AI-enabled telecom networks, cybersecurity and quantum communications.
🔹 It is the fourth Centre of Excellence established by C-DOT after IIT Kanpur, IIT Gandhinagar and IIT Roorkee.
🔹 The initiative aims to strengthen India’s telecom innovation ecosystem and technological self-reliance.
New Delhi: The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), the premier telecom research and development organisation under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH) to establish a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Advanced Communication Technologies.
The newly launched CoE will serve as a dedicated hub for high-impact research and development in next-generation communication technologies, with a strong focus on wireless communications, 5G Advanced, 6G, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and post-quantum communication systems.
This marks the fourth Centre of Excellence established by C-DOT, following similar initiatives at IIT Kanpur, IIT Gandhinagar and IIT Roorkee, further strengthening India’s telecom research and innovation ecosystem.
The Centre of Excellence aims to bridge the gap between academia and industry by leveraging IIT Hyderabad’s research capabilities and C-DOT’s expertise in indigenous telecom technologies. It will provide a collaborative platform for students, researchers, startups and industry experts to develop cutting-edge communication technologies and solutions.
Under the collaboration, the CoE will undertake joint research and prototype development in emerging areas such as very large-scale MIMO systems, integrated sensing and communication technologies, AI-enabled communication devices and networks, quantum key distribution (QKD), post-quantum cryptography (PQC), and advanced wireless communication systems.
The initiative is expected to significantly contribute to India’s ambitions of becoming a global leader in telecom innovation while supporting the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat and Digital India missions.
The MoU was signed in the presence of Prof. B.S. Murty, Director, IIT Hyderabad, and Dr. Rajkumar Upadhyay, CEO, C-DOT, along with faculty members and senior officials from both institutions. The signing ceremony was followed by the formal inauguration of the Centre of Excellence.
C-DOT has already collaborated with WiSig Networks, a startup incubated at IIT Hyderabad, for the development of disaggregated 5G Open RAN (O-RAN) solutions. Building on this partnership, the new CoE will further support startup innovation, intellectual property creation, skill development and knowledge-sharing through workshops, training programmes and collaborative research initiatives.
During the event, Dr. Rajkumar Upadhyay delivered a lecture on “Building Indigenous Communications Technologies for Viksit Bharat”, highlighting India’s telecom landscape, Bharat 6G Vision, evolving telecom value chains, global standards and emerging opportunities. He also showcased C-DOT’s indigenous technologies, including 4G/5G solutions, TRINETRA cybersecurity suite, secure quantum communication systems, disaster management platforms, AI-enabled telecom applications and Mission Critical Communication (MCX) solutions.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Upadhyay said the CoE would help create a robust innovation pipeline for next-generation communication technologies and support the development of secure, scalable and globally competitive telecom solutions.
Prof. B.S. Murty described the collaboration as a significant milestone for IIT Hyderabad and highlighted the institute’s strengths in communication engineering, semiconductor technologies and advanced wireless systems, which will complement C-DOT’s mission of developing secure and indigenous telecom technologies.
Conclusion
The establishment of the Centre of Excellence at IIT Hyderabad marks another significant step towards strengthening India’s telecom innovation ecosystem. By focusing on 6G, AI, cybersecurity and quantum communication technologies, the initiative is expected to accelerate indigenous R&D, foster startup innovation and contribute to India’s long-term goal of becoming a global leader in advanced communications technology.
