India to establish new research hub for quantum tech, 6G

• A new centre of excellence is to be established in Bangalore, streamlining R&D in quantum computing and “associated” 5G/6G technologies
• The planned research hub follows an MoU between India’s government and academia
• The Ministry of Communications frames the CoE as a key part of its broader “100-day programme” to fast-track tech advancements

India has embarked on another research and development (R&D) push in the realm of quantum technology and 6G innovation, the latest indication that the country is determined to play a significant role at the vanguard of next-generation technology developments.

Bigwigs from the country’s Telecom Centre of Excellence (TCOE), a public-private partnership between government, industry stakeholders and academia, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Visvesvaraya Research & Innovation Foundation (VRIF), which is part of the Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU).

Under the MoU, a new centre of excellence (CoE) will be established on VTU’s Bangalore campus, in which R&D will be carried out on quantum technology and what it calls “associated” 5G/6G technologies, as well as – even more vaguely – “other frontier areas” (a term usually used to describe AI).

Following his re-election in June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tasked all government departments to develop a 100-day programme for improvements, with the 100 days coming to an end this week. The CoE is part of the Ministry of Communications’ 100-day plan for fast-tracking tech advancements.

R&D streamlined

The CoE is essentially a research hub, acting as a key R&D facilitator for VTU’s 228 affiliated colleges. According to the official announcement, the CoE will empower more than 400,000 students, of which over 2,000 have PhDs, to “streamline R&D and drive the commercialisation of ground-breaking innovations”.

The research hub is tasked, too, with coordinating R&D with “key organisations,” including the Telecom Engineering Centre,  TSDSI, India’s standards development organisation (SDO), and the Bharat 6G Alliance.

Launched last year, the Bharat 6G Alliance is a “collaborative platform consisting of public and private companies, academia, research institutions and SDOs [standards development organisations]” that includes operators Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea, as well as IT services and systems integration giants Tech Mahindra and Tata Consultancy Services among its 12 founding members. India found itself years behind much of the rest of the world in 4G and 5G (though it has now caught up) and is determined not to be an also-ran when it comes to the next wave of wireless communications innovation. It also wants to ensure it’s at the cutting edge of quantum computing, which is set to transform digital processes and, in particular, cybersecurity in the coming years. 

In April 2023, India’s government rubber-stamped investment of around $730m to set up a National Quantum Mission, with the ambitious aim of making “India one of the leading nations in the development of quantum technologies and applications”.

- Ken Wieland, Contributing Editor, TelecomTV