C-DOT sets up fifth Centre of Excellence with IISc Bengaluru to accelerate telecom innovation

NEW DELHI: The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) has signed a tripartite agreement with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, and the Foundation for Science Innovation and Development (FSID) to establish a Centre of Excellence (CoE) aimed at advancing indigenous research and innovation in next-generation communication technologies.

Announced on Thursday, July 30, the initiative is expected to strengthen India’s telecom research ecosystem by creating a dedicated platform for collaborative research, technology development, talent creation and commercialisation of advanced communication technologies.

The new Centre of Excellence, established at FSID, IISc Bengaluru, will focus on strategic areas including wireless communications, quantum technologies, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence-driven communication systems. It will also undertake advanced research in emerging technologies such as 5G Advanced, 6G, very large-scale MIMO systems, integrated sensing and communication, AI-native communication networks and post-quantum communication technologies.

The collaboration brings together IISc’s academic and research capabilities with C-DOT’s expertise in indigenous telecom technologies to accelerate the development of future-ready communication solutions, generate intellectual property, support deep-tech startups and strengthen industry-academia collaboration through joint research projects, training programmes and knowledge-sharing initiatives.

With the launch of the IISc Centre of Excellence, C-DOT has now established five such centres across leading academic institutions, following similar collaborations with IIT Hyderabad, IIT Kanpur, IIT Gandhinagar and IIT Roorkee. The expanding network reflects the Department of Telecommunications’ strategy of building a national innovation ecosystem for next-generation telecom technologies through collaborative research.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Rajkumar Upadhyay, Chief Executive Officer of C-DOT, described the new Centre of Excellence as a strategic investment in India’s telecom innovation ecosystem. He said the collaboration would accelerate research in 5G Advanced, 6G, artificial intelligence and quantum communications while strengthening the country’s self-reliance in critical communication technologies and nurturing the next generation of researchers, innovators and deep-tech enterprises.

Prof. Neelesh B. Mehta, Chair of the Department of Electrical Communication Engineering at IISc Bengaluru, said the partnership would enable long-term collaboration between IISc researchers and C-DOT experts, helping accelerate innovation in advanced communication technologies.

Omprakash Subbarao, Chief Executive Officer of FSID, said the partnership reinforces the organisation’s commitment to bridging academia and industry, adding that collaborative innovation is essential for strengthening India’s scientific ecosystem and technological leadership.

The agreement was signed in the presence of senior officials from C-DOT, FSID and IISc, followed by the inauguration of the Centre of Excellence. Dr Upadhyay also delivered a lecture on the role of C-DOT in building secure indigenous communication technologies, highlighting the importance of trusted telecom infrastructure, cybersecurity, AI-enabled communication systems and quantum-secure networks for India’s digital future.

The new Centre of Excellence is expected to play a key role in advancing indigenous telecom research while supporting the country’s broader vision of becoming a global leader in next-generation communication technologies.