Who will shape India’s 6G future? C-DOT and IIT BHU join forces on next-gen networks

The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), the telecommunications research and development arm of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) under the Ministry of Communications, has partnered with the Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, to establish its sixth Centre of Excellence (CoE), focusing on advanced communication technologies.

The new center will bring together C-DOT's expertise in indigenous telecommunications technology and IIT (BHU)'s academic and research capabilities to support innovation, strengthen industry-academia collaboration and develop specialized talent for India's evolving telecommunications sector.

According to the Ministry of Communications, the partnership aims to connect academic research with practical technological requirements, create opportunities for innovation and help prepare a skilled workforce for emerging challenges in telecommunications.

The Centre of Excellence will facilitate joint research involving researchers, faculty members, students and technology experts from both institutions. It will also support sustained knowledge exchange and collaborative development of technologies relevant to India's digital and communications infrastructure.

"It will bring together researchers, faculty, students, and technology experts from C-DOT and IIT (BHU) to undertake joint research and promote sustained knowledge exchange. The initiative will strengthen academia-industry collaboration to support the development of indigenous technologies in areas critical to the nation's digital and communication infrastructure," the ministry said.

C-DOT and IIT BHU to focus on 5G Advanced, 6G and quantum communications

The new Centre of Excellence will work across wireless communications, quantum technologies, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven communication systems. Its research agenda will cover emerging technologies intended to support the next generation of telecommunications networks and devices.

Key areas of research will include 5G Advanced and sixth-generation (6G) communication technologies, very large-scale multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, integrated sensing and communication, AI-native communication networks and devices, and quantum and post-quantum communication technologies.

The focus on 5G Advanced and 6G will allow researchers to explore developments in next-generation wireless systems. Work on large-scale MIMO systems will address advanced wireless communication architectures, while integrated sensing and communication will bring together sensing capabilities and data transmission within communication systems.

The center will also examine AI-native communication networks and devices, where artificial intelligence is incorporated into network design and operations. Research into quantum and post-quantum communications will address technologies relevant to emerging approaches to secure communications and the development of systems designed to address future security requirements.

Cybersecurity will form another part of the center's research focus, reflecting the importance of protecting communication networks and digital infrastructure as telecommunications systems become more advanced and interconnected.

Through these research areas, the collaboration aims to encourage the development of indigenous technologies and strengthen India's capacity to design and advance communication systems suited to future requirements.

C-DOT CEO highlights investment in India's future technology capabilities

C-DOT Chief Executive Officer Dr Rajkumar Upadhyay said the new center would provide a platform for research and contribute to the development of India's domestic technology capabilities.

He highlighted the role of artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, advanced wireless systems and intelligent networks in shaping the next generation of communications. The collaboration will bring researchers and technology experts together to explore these areas and accelerate the development of indigenous solutions.

“This Centre of Excellence is more than a research platform, it is an investment in India's future technology capabilities. The next generation of communications will be shaped by advances in AI, quantum technologies, advanced wireless systems and intelligent networks. Through this CoE, C-DOT and IIT (BHU) are creating a collaborative ecosystem to explore these frontiers and accelerate the development of indigenous technologies for India's digital future.”

The partnership is expected to provide a framework for collaborative research in emerging communication technologies, drawing on C-DOT's experience in telecommunications research and IIT (BHU)'s academic expertise.

By involving students and researchers in work related to practical telecommunications challenges, the center will also create opportunities for academic research to contribute to technology development and industry requirements.

IIT BHU director says collaboration will help translate research into solutions

IIT (BHU) Director Professor Amit Patra said the partnership would help connect academic research with practical technological applications and give students and researchers opportunities to work on real-world telecommunications challenges.

He said the collaboration would support India's efforts to develop advanced communication technologies domestically and strengthen self-reliance in the sector.

"The collaboration with C-DOT will provide a strong platform for translating academic research into impactful technological solutions. It will enable our students and researchers to engage with real-world challenges in telecommunications while contributing to India's journey towards self-reliance in advanced communication technologies.”

The involvement of faculty members, students and researchers is expected to support knowledge sharing between academia and industry. It will also create opportunities for research activities to address technological requirements identified by telecommunications experts.

The center's focus on advanced wireless communication, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and quantum technologies is intended to support research in areas relevant to the development of India's digital and communications infrastructure.

C-DOT expands national network of Centres of Excellence to six

The establishment of the IIT (BHU) center brings C-DOT's national network of Centres of Excellence to six. The organization already collaborates with IIT Kanpur, IIT Gandhinagar, IIT Roorkee, IIT Hyderabad and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, through FSID.

These centers are intended to support the development of future-ready communication technologies, encourage knowledge exchange and help nurture specialized talent in telecommunications research and development.

The network brings together academic institutions and C-DOT to strengthen research collaboration and develop expertise in areas relevant to India's communication infrastructure. The partnerships also provide a platform for researchers, faculty members and students to engage with technological challenges in the telecommunications sector.

With the addition of IIT (BHU), C-DOT is expanding its institutional partnerships to support research into advanced communication systems and indigenous technology development.

The new Centre of Excellence will contribute to this wider effort by combining academic research with telecommunications expertise, with a focus on technologies expected to shape future networks, digital infrastructure and secure communications.

The collaboration aligns with the broader objective of strengthening India's domestic research and development capabilities and preparing skilled professionals for the changing requirements of the telecommunications industry.