According to the Union Minister of State (MoS) for Telecommunications, the government has sanctioned approximately Rs 5 billion under the Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF) to support 120 technology projects in domains including 5G, 6G, secure chipsets, and quantum communication.
Emphasising the need for measurable outcomes from public research and development (R&D) investments, the minister has reportedly proposed reforms to strengthen the fund’s implementation framework. He has also encouraged the inclusion of private equity professionals and domain experts in the evaluation process to improve the quality and relevance of supported projects. To ensure continuous oversight and agile execution, monthly reviews of TTDF’s progress has been recommended.
Launched on October 1, 2022, and implemented by the Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), TTDF aims to drive advanced research in telecom and frontier technologies, with a particular focus on intelligent rural connectivity and secure indigenous innovations. Since its launch, the scheme has received over 1,340 proposals. Of these, 120 R&D projects have been approved, and Rs 4.99 billion has been sanctioned, with Rs 1.87 billion already disbursed.
