India and the United Kingdom have agreed to explore collaborative opportunities in next-generation telecommunications, artificial intelligence (AI), and emerging technologies, including Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) and space technology. As part of this initiative, India’s Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT) and London-based Sonic Labs have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work together on Open RAN policy and technical advancements, including 5G Open RAN development and AI integration in 4G and 5G networks, according to an official statement from the Ministry of Communications.
High-Level Meetings and MoU Signing
The announcements coincide with Neeraj Mittal, Secretary (Telecom) of India, visiting the United Kingdom to engage with the Department of Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT), UK. The visit aimed to strengthen Indo-UK ties in critical telecom and digital infrastructure sectors through high-level meetings, field visits, and a major MoU signing.
Mittal met with key UK officials, including Chris Johnson, National Scientific Adviser, and Dave Smith, National Technology Adviser of DSIT, to discuss emerging technologies in 5G, 6G, and digital infrastructure security. Additionally, he met with Geoff Huggins, Director of the Digital Directorate, Government of Scotland, to explore joint efforts in telecom security, digital transformation, and next-gen telecom innovations.
Field Visits to Leading UK Research Hubs
As part of the visit, Mittal met with Jean Innes, CEO of the Alan Turing Institute, to discuss collaboration in areas like digital twins, AI for telecom security, ethical AI, and fostering AI startups. He also conducted a field visit to one of the six Federated Telecom Hubs (FTH) in the UK, focusing on Cloud and Distributed Computing (CHEDDAR). This research hub specializes in 6G distributed cloud, AI for 6G, green 6G, and advanced sensing technologies.
Further, Mittal visited Scotland’s 5G Centre at the University of Strathclyde and the 6G Research Centre at the University of Glasgow’s James Watt School of Engineering. Discussions centered on 6G innovation, sensing technologies, telecom stack technology exchanges, and student exchange programs to promote academic and industrial partnerships.
UK-India Telecom Roundtable
A UK-India Telecom Roundtable was convened as part of the UK-India Technology Security Initiative (TSI), where telecom remains a key priority. The discussion involved key UK stakeholders, including:
- DSIT, UK.
- Business entities such as BT and Ericsson.
- Innovation hubs like Sonic Labs, UK Telecom Labs, Titan, and Joiner.
- Representatives from the UK Space Agency, European Space Agency, Innovate UK, and UKTIN.
The roundtable focused on cooperation in telecom security, AI in telecom, and digital infrastructure advancements.
Key Agreements and Future Initiatives
India and the UK have agreed to establish joint Centres of Excellence focused on telecom cybersecurity, AI in telecom, and digital twins. They will collaborate with British telecom firms to leverage mobile phone data for infrastructure planning, replicating India’s successful use of such data for metro route development. Additionally, both countries will contribute to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for IMT 2030 (6G) standards development and set up new testing facilities. The partnership also includes joint efforts in digital twins, quantum communication solutions, and submarine sea cable security, along with promoting India’s indigenous 4G and 5G stack developed by C-DoT. Furthermore, the collaboration will extend to space technology communication (TN-NTN) and other advanced telecom initiatives, strengthening innovation and cooperation between the two nations.
