With innovations meeting collaboration, India’s telecom minds gather to shape the future of indigenous technologies at the first TTDF Symposium 2025.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), in partnership with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, has inaugurated the first Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF) Symposium 2025.
The three-day event took place at the IIT Madras Research Park in Chennai, aiming to enhance project execution, promote technology transfer, and align telecom innovation with national priorities.
The TTDF scheme, launched in October 2022, aims to drive indigenous R&D in next-gen telecom technologies and support digital inclusion in remote regions. The fund promotes collaboration among academia, startups, industry, and research bodies to strengthen India’s telecom ecosystem.
Over 1300 R&D proposals have been submitted under TTDF. So far, 120 projects have been approved with funding commitments exceeding ₹5 billion. Of this, ₹1.87 billion has already been disbursed to institutions and startups.
The event was opened by Dr Neeraj Mittal, Secretary (Telecom), DoT. Key dignitaries included Prof V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras; Gulzar Natarajan, Additional Secretary (Telecom); Dr Parag Agarwal, DDG (TTDF); and Prof R.K. Ghanti, IIT Madras.
A major highlight was the announcement of India’s first Multicore Fibre Testbed Project. This facility, co-developed by IIT Madras and STL Technologies, includes over 5km of underground and aerial fibre cable and will be available for industry-wide testing.
Furthermore, a new portal is also being developed to facilitate shared resource access across projects.
Approximately 500 participants, including faculty, startups, industry leaders, and senior officials, were in attendance. Sessions covered key technologies like 6G, AI/ML for IoT, quantum communication, and satellite systems.
Speaking at the event, Dr Mittal described this as a transformative phase for India’s telecom sector. He commended the government’s focus on innovation and urged all stakeholders to collaborate effectively.
Additional Secretary Gulzar Natarajan reiterated TTDF’s role in building sovereign capabilities. Prof. Kamakoti praised the government’s support and encouraged institutions to deliver impactful solutions.
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