Varanasi: The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), the research and development arm of the Department of Telecommunications, has established its sixth Centre of Excellence at IIT (BHU), Varanasi, to advance research in next-generation communication technologies.
C-DOT and IIT (BHU) signed a memorandum of understanding on Friday for collaborative research, technology development and capacity building, according to a Ministry of Communications release. The centre will focus on 5G Advanced and 6G technologies, artificial intelligence-driven communication systems, quantum and post-quantum communications, cybersecurity and advanced wireless networks.
Research areas will also include very large-scale Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) systems, integrated sensing and communication, and AI-native communication networks and devices.
The collaboration aims to connect academic research with practical telecom requirements, bringing together researchers, faculty, students and C-DOT technology experts.
The MoU was signed in the presence of C-DOT Executive Vice President Pankaj Kumar Dalela and IIT (BHU) Director Professor Amit Patra. The signing was followed by the inauguration of the centre.
"This Centre of Excellence is more than a research platform, it is an investment in India's future technology capabilities," C-DOT CEO Rajkumar Upadhyay said, adding that the next generation of communications will be shaped by advances in AI, quantum technologies and intelligent networks.
Professor Patra said the collaboration with C-DOT would provide a strong platform for translating academic research into impactful technological solutions.
The centre expands C-DOT's national network of Centres of Excellence to six, building on existing collaborations with IIT Kanpur, IIT Gandhinagar, IIT Roorkee, IIT Hyderabad and IISc Bengaluru. The centres are intended to support indigenous technology development, specialised research and talent creation in India's telecommunications sector.