India Strengthens Telecom Security: FSID and C-DOT Partner with IISc on Quantum-Ready CoE

FSID and C-DOT have signed an agreement to establish a new Centre of Excellence (CoE) at IISc Bengaluru, focusing on advanced telecom research in 5G, 6G, AI, cybersecurity, and quantum technologies. This marks C-DOT’s fifth CoE in India, strengthening academia–industry collaboration and boosting indigenous telecom innovation.

Notably, C-DOT has established a total of five Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in recent times — four at IITs (Kanpur, Gandhinagar, Roorkee, and Hyderabad) and the latest one at IISc Bengaluru in partnership with FSID.

India is positioning itself as a leader in 6G, AI-driven networks, and quantum-ready communication systems. In just over a year, C-DOT has rolled out five CoEs, signaling aggressive investment in next-gen telecom R&D. With focus on cybersecurity and post-quantum cryptography ensuring readiness against future threats, Each CoE is designed to support MSMEs, startups, and academia, fostering indigenous innovation.

Key Highlights of the Pact

• Centre of Excellence at IISc: Hosted by FSID, dedicated to advanced communication technologies.
• Research Focus: Wireless communications, AI-integrated networks, cybersecurity, quantum and post-quantum communication.
• Prototype Development: Supporting startups, MSMEs, and academic-industry collaborations.
• Leadership: Agreement signed by FSID CEO Omprakash Subbarao and C-DOT CEO Dr Rajkumar Upadhyay.
• National Impact: Strengthening India’s technological self-reliance in telecom.

Strategic Importance

• Fifth CoE by C-DOT: Previous centres at IIT Hyderabad, IIT Kanpur, IIT Gandhinagar, and IIT Roorkee.
• Indigenous Innovation: Reduces dependence on foreign telecom systems.
• Knowledge Exchange: Workshops, training programmes, and collaborative research with IISc faculty and students.
• Long-Term Vision: Research in 5G Advanced, 6G rollout, large-scale MIMO systems, and secure communication networks.

Voices from the Collaboration

• Omprakash Subbarao (FSID CEO): Emphasized bridging industry–research gaps and promoting joint innovation.
• Dr Rajkumar Upadhyay (C-DOT CEO): Highlighted combining IISc’s academic excellence with C-DOT’s telecom expertise to build homegrown technologies.
• Prof Neelesh B Mehta (IISc): Stressed long-term partnerships between IISc faculty, students, and C-DOT experts.

Comparison with Other CoEs

Institution	Focus Areas	Impact
IIT Hyderabad	6G, AI, quantum research	National hub for futuristic telecom
IIT Kanpur	Cybersecurity, IoT	Strengthening secure networks
IIT Gandhinagar	Wireless systems	Advanced communication prototypes
IIT Roorkee	AI-driven telecom	Industry–academia collaboration
IISc Bengaluru (FSID)	5G Advanced, 6G, quantum, AI	Indigenous innovation, startups, IP creation

Why It Matters for India

• Telecom as critical infrastructure: Essential for economic growth and national security.
• Quantum threat readiness: Preparing for post-quantum cryptography and secure communication.
• Boost for startups: Access to cutting-edge infrastructure and collaborative research opportunities.
• Global positioning: India aims to lead in 6G and AI-driven telecom technologies.

C-DOT has recently entered several major partnerships beyond IISc, including collaborations with Delhi Police for smart policing, Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) for cybersecurity and quantum research, and IIT Hyderabad for a telecom innovation CoE. These alliances highlight its push into security, AI, and next‑gen telecom.

To recall, earlier this year C-DOT signed an agreement with Synergy Quantum India Private Limited to jointly develop a quantum vulnerability detection tool. Prior to this, in May last year, C-DOT partnered Synergy Quantum India to develop drone-based Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) systems.

In March 2024, C-DOT signed a major partnership with Qualcomm Technologies at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The MoU focuses on strengthening India’s telecom ecosystem by supporting startups, academia, and OEMs with Qualcomm’s chip technologies, IP training, and commercialization support.