Interview with Dr Rajkumar Upadhyay: “India is now among the top countries globally in 6G patent filings”

The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) continues to drive India’s vision for a secure, human-centric digital future. The organisation has rapidly evolved into a global telecom technology exporter, advancing indigenous solutions across 5G, quantum-secure communications and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven cybersecurity. It is also actively nurturing India’s deep-tech start-up ecosystem while accelerating research to secure a 10 per cent share in global 6G patents. In an interview with
tele.net, Dr Rajkumar Upadhyay, Chief Executive Officer, C-DOT, talked about the organisation’s growing international footprint, recent technological breakthroughs and future priorities. Edited excerpts…

India was VivaTech 2026’s official AI Partner country, which was held recently in Paris, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted India’s vision for a human-centric AI and frontier technologies. Did C-DOT participate in VivaTech 2026? How do C-DOT solutions contribute to this vision?

At the VivaTech 2026 expo in Paris, C-DOT showcased a portfolio of advanced indigenous telecom and digital innovations aimed at strengthening global digital resilience. We had the privilege of welcoming and presenting our technologies to the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, and the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, during their visit to the exhibition. We showcased India’s indigenous technological capabilities and innovation ecosystem.

C-DOT solutions contribute to India’s human-centric AI vision by powering secure, inclusive and resilient digital infrastructure. Our indigenous telecommunications and deep-tech innovations democratise access and protect digital ecosystems, aligning directly with the Prime Minister’s goal of technology serving the masses.

Which are the emerging international markets for C-DOT solutions? What does India’s emergence as a telecom technology exporter mean for the sector?

C-DOT is witnessing growing interest from emerging markets across Africa, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Latin America and small island developing states that are looking to strengthen their digital infrastructure using secure, affordable and sovereign technologies. Demand is being seen across C-DOT’s key technology domains, including mobile communication solutions (4G/5G core, RAN and private 5G), disaster management and public safety platforms (cell broadcast systems [CBS] and early warning systems), cybersecurity and fraud prevention solutions, quantum-secure communication technologies and citizen-centric digital platforms. Some countries have already conducted trials for disaster management (common alerting protocol and CBS), while discussions are under way with several other countries across Asia, Africa and Latin America.

India’s emergence as a telecom technology exporter marks an important shift from being primarily one of the world’s largest telecom consumers to becoming a creator and exporter of telecom technologies. Indigenous solutions developed in India are demonstrating that world-class telecom networks can be built at significantly lower costs while maintaining high levels of performance, security and scalability. For the global telecom industry, this introduces greater competition, diversification of supply chains and new options for nations seeking trusted digital infrastructure. For India, it strengthens technological sovereignty, expands high-value exports and positions the country as a credible contributor to the future evolution of global telecom networks.

How is C-DOT contributing to India’s target of securing a 10 per cent share in global 6G patents? Where does the country currently stand in its 6G research journey?

C-DOT is actively pursuing research in key 6G domains such as AI-native networks, integrated sensing and communications, non-terrestrial networks and network automation. A major focus area is creating foundational technologies that can generate high-value patents while addressing India’s unique connectivity requirements, including rural broadband, ubiquitous coverage, energy efficiency, resilience and secure communications.

India’s 6G journey has gained remarkable momentum in a relatively short period. As facilitated by the Ministry of Communications and taken forward by the Bharat 6G Alliance (a consortium of 85 members comprising telecom service providers, academia, start-ups, and research and development [R&D] institutions working towards the standardisation and development of indigenous 6G technologies), India is now among the top six countries globally in 6G patent filings, with Indian academia, start-ups, research institutions and industry contributing over 4,000 global patent filings related to the 6G ecosystem.

Globally, competition remains intense, with countries such as China, the US, Japan, South Korea and members of the European Union investing heavily in 6G research, standardisation and intellectual property (IP) creation. With its growing patent portfolio, strong software expertise and increasing participation in global bodies such as the 3rd Generation Partnership Project and the International Telecommunication Union, India is well-positioned to achieve its aspiration of contributing 10 per cent of global 6G patents and becoming a significant contributor to future global communication standards.

C-DOT has emerged as a key player in quantum-secure communications. What are some of the organisation’s major quantum technologies and their potential impact?

C-DOT has developed a suite of indigenous quantum-safe communication technologies to secure critical infrastructure against future quantum threats. These include QKD systems, the Qsafe-200 quantum-secure encryptor, compact post-quantum encryptor, post-quantum IP network encryptor, quantum-secure video IP phones and compact encryption modules. These solutions are designed for strategic sectors such as defence, telecom, BFSI, healthcare, government networks and data centres, enabling organisations to transition to quantum-safe communications while leveraging existing infrastructure. C-DOT is also serving as the quantum communication hub along with IIT Madras under the National Quantum Mission, strengthening India’s capabilities in this critical technology area.

C-DOT’s revenues have grown significantly since 2020. How is the organisation balancing its R&D mandate with the scale of commercialisation?

C-DOT’s growth over the past five years reflects the successful transition of indigenous R&D into deployable national-scale solutions. Since 2020, revenue has grown substantially from Rs 600 million to around Rs 6,000 million, driven by the adoption of products such as the indigenous 4G core, IP multimedia subsystems, disaster management solutions, cybersecurity platforms and quantum communication technologies.

However, C-DOT remains fundamentally an R&D institution. The organisation continues to invest heavily in next-generation technologies including 5G stand-alone (SA), 6G, advanced cybersecurity, quantum-secure communications, AI-driven network management and mission-critical applications. We are preparing to invest more than Rs 10,000 million over the next few years across strategic technology domains.

How is C-DOT strengthening India’s start-up ecosystem to accelerate indigenous telecom and deep-tech innovation?

C-DOT is playing a strategic role in strengthening India’s start-up ecosystem by creating structured pathways for innovation, incubation and commercialisation in telecom and deep-tech sectors. Recognising that start-ups will be central to India’s future technology leadership, C-DOT has built an ecosystem that supports innovators not just with infrastructure, but also with technical mentorship, product validation, market access and industry linkages.

A key pillar of this effort is the Start-up Accelerator for Product Innovation, Development and Growth (SAMARTH) programme – C-DOT’s flagship incubation programme launched in partnership with Software Technology Parks of India and TiE Delhi-NCR as implementation partners. Through two cohorts, SAMARTH has supported 36 deep-tech start-ups, working across strategic domains such as AI, cybersecurity, 5G/6G, internet of things (IoT), blockchain, unmanned aerial vehicles and light fidelity technologies. The programme provides start-ups access to C-DOT’s advanced lab infrastructure, telecom testing environments, domain experts, and potential enterprise and government customers. This significantly shortens the path from prototype to deployment. The recent expansion of SAMARTH Cohort-II further reflects growing momentum in this ecosystem.

Complementing this is C-DOT’s NIDHI programme, which focuses on promoting inclusive entrepreneurship, particularly women-led start-ups and socially impactful technology ventures. Through this platform, start-ups receive early-stage support including mentorship, prototype development assistance, business advisory and ecosystem integration, helping bridge the gap between innovation and enterprise creation.

Together, these initiatives are helping create a robust indigenous innovation pipeline for India’s telecom sector.

What are the key priorities of C-DOT for the next three to five years? How is the organisation positioning itself to lead India’s next phase of telecom innovation?

Over the next three to five years, C-DOT’s priorities are centred around strengthening India’s position as a global telecom technology innovator while supporting national strategic requirements. The organisation is focused on five major technology pillars: advanced mobile communications, telecom security, quantum communication, advanced telecom applications and AI.

A key priority is the successful commercialisation and deployment of indigenous 5G technologies, including the 5G SA core, Open RAN-based solutions, fixed wireless access platforms and mission-critical communication systems. Simultaneously, C-DOT is laying the foundation for India’s 6G journey through research in AI-native networks and future communication architectures.

The organisation is also expanding its leadership in cybersecurity through high traffic cyber tools, enterprise security solutions and advanced threat intelligence systems. In parallel, C-DOT aims to establish India as a significant player in quantum-secure communications through technologies such as QKD, quantum encryptors and PQC solutions.

Beyond technology development, C-DOT is strengthening partnerships with industry, academia, start-ups and global stakeholders to accelerate innovation and commercialisation. The vision is clear – to evolve from a national telecom R&D institution into a globally recognised deep-tech innovation powerhouse that drives India’s next wave of telecom leadership while continuing to serve strategic national interests.