New Delhi: In a significant stride towards advancing next-generation telecommunications, the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Government of India, has signed an agreement with the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi). This partnership focuses on the development of “Building Blocks for THz Communication Front Ends,” a critical step in realizing the Bharat 6G vision.
The initiative is part of the Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF) 6G Call for Proposal, aimed at accelerating research and building a robust 6G ecosystem. The Bharat 6G vision seeks to design and deploy network technologies offering ubiquitous, intelligent, and secure connectivity for a superior quality of life.
The project aims to develop foundational devices and components essential for Terahertz (THz) communication systems, a cornerstone of 6G technology. Beyond telecommunications, these components will find applications in military communications and material characterization.
Leveraging India’s recent focus on establishing chip fabrication facilities, the project will enable core THz components to be developed at IIT Delhi, in collaboration with SAMEER (Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering and Research), Kolkata. This effort aims to streamline the transition from research to production-level fabrication, with C-DOT serving as the implementing agency.
The agreement was formalized in a ceremony attended by Dr. Rajkumar Upadhyay, CEO of C-DOT, Prof. Ananjan Basu from IIT Delhi, and C-DOT Directors Dr. Pankaj Kumar Dalela and Shikha Srivastava.
Dr. Rajkumar Upadhyay hailed the initiative as a vital step towards achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharat 6G Vision. He highlighted the collaboration’s potential to foster innovation and lead to transformative advancements in communication technology.
Prof. Ananjan Basu expressed IIT Delhi’s dedication to developing next-generation 6G technologies and thanked C-DOT for enabling the research collaboration. He emphasized the alignment of this initiative with the goals of “Atmanirbhar Bharat,” reinforcing India’s self-reliance in cutting-edge telecom research and infrastructure.
The C-DOT team reiterated its commitment to developing microelectronic THz components entirely within India, marking a first in the country’s telecommunications sector. This endeavor represents a critical step towards reducing dependency on foreign technologies and building a self-sufficient telecom ecosystem in India.