TEC–IIIT Delhi Sign MoU to Advance India’s Leadership in Next-Gen Telecom R&D

The agreement aims to accelerate indigenous research, deepen India’s contributions to global standards, and drive advancements in cutting-edge technologies that will define the future of communications.

India has taken a decisive step toward strengthening its position in global telecommunications innovation with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC)—the technical standards body of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT)—and the Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, Delhi (IIIT Delhi). The agreement aims to accelerate indigenous research, deepen India’s contributions to global standards, and drive advancements in cutting-edge technologies that will define the future of communications.

Signed on 19 November 2025 at IIIT Delhi, the MoU forms a comprehensive framework for collaboration in advanced telecom research, India-specific standards development, next-generation network technologies, and enhanced participation in global standardisation bodies such as the International Telecommunication Union – Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) and 3GPP.

The document was signed by Shri Rakesh Desai, DDG (Fixed Access), TEC, and Dr. Abhijit Mitra, Assistant Professor, IIIT Delhi, in the presence of senior officials including Prof. Ranjan Bose, Director of IIIT Delhi; Shri Pawan Gupta, DDG (Admin.), TEC; and Prof. Vivek Ashok Bohara from IIIT Delhi’s Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering.

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A Strategic Partnership for India’s Telecom Future

The MoU comes at a time when the global telecommunications industry is undergoing rapid transformation. With the world moving toward 5G adoption, 6G research, AI-driven networks, software-defined infrastructure and optical wireless connectivity, India seeks to fortify its role not only as a consumer of telecom technologies but as a global innovator and contributor.

The TEC–IIIT Delhi partnership addresses this objective by focusing on five major areas:

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1. Artificial Intelligence in Telecom

Artificial Intelligence is redefining how modern networks operate. Under the partnership, both organisations will collaborate on:

• AI-based traffic engineering and intelligent traffic management

• Predictive maintenance of network infrastructure

• Automated network optimisation

• AI-driven security solutions and policy enforcement

• Anomaly detection in high-density networks

These developments aim to support networks that are self-optimising, self-healing and resilient, essential for future smart cities, autonomous systems, connected vehicles and industrial IoT.

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2. 5G and 6G Research and Standardisation

India has already begun its journey toward 6G technology, and this collaboration accelerates R&D in:

• millimetre-wave (mmWave) communication

• massive MIMO (mMIMO)

• terahertz-band communication for 6G

• ultra-dense heterogeneous networks

• energy-efficient future networks

By contributing to 3GPP and ITU-T Study Groups, India aims to shape the technical specifications and standards of next-generation wireless communication.

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3. SDN and NFV: The Future of Network Architecture

Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualisation (NFV) are essential for cloud-native telecom networks. Collaborative research will focus on:

• virtualised network functions

• programmable and automated routing

• orchestration frameworks

• scalable, flexible and cost-efficient network management

This aligns with India’s push for open, interoperable, software-driven network ecosystems.

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4. Free Space Optical Communication and Li-Fi

To expand high-speed connectivity — particularly in rural, remote and defence environments — the MoU prioritises:

• optical wireless communication (OWC)

• Li-Fi technology for secure, high-bandwidth access

• backhaul communications using free-space optics

• low-latency, interference-free optical transmissions

These technologies can complement fibre and RF-based systems, improving availability and cost-efficiency.

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5. Renewable Energy Technologies (RETs) for Telecom

Reducing telecom infrastructure’s carbon footprint is a national priority. The partnership aims to develop:

• ICT-enabled energy-efficient systems for telecom towers

• hybrid renewable solutions for powering telecom equipment

• smart monitoring tools for green telecom infrastructure

This aligns with national goals of energy sustainability and green communications.

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Strengthening India’s Role in Global Standardisation

India’s participation in global telecom standardisation has grown significantly over the last decade. The TEC–IIIT Delhi partnership boosts India’s voice in:

• ITU-T Study Groups

• 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project)

• global technical forums and task forces

By developing India-specific test frameworks and contributing indigenous research, the collaboration helps ensure that global standards reflect Indian requirements, challenges and deployment environments—particularly in rural and diverse terrains.

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Driving Atmanirbhar Bharat in Telecom

The partnership strongly supports the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision by advancing:

• indigenous R&D and intellectual property creation

• development of India-made telecom solutions

• reduced dependence on foreign technologies

• secure and resilient network infrastructure

It also boosts the domestic startup ecosystem, academic research, and advanced technology manufacturing.

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A Pivotal Step Toward India’s Digital Leadership

With telecommunications becoming the backbone of national security, economic growth and digital transformation, the TEC–IIIT Delhi MoU marks a pivotal step in expanding India’s innovation capacity. Through coordinated research, global engagement, and next-generation technology development, the partnership promises to strengthen India’s leadership in the global telecom ecosystem.