Strengthening Atmanirbhar Bharat: C-DoT’s Push for Global 5G Leadership

The Centre for Development of Telematics is advancing efforts to commercialize its indigenously developed fifth-generation (5G) radio network technology, with a strategic focus on global markets following domestic deployment. This initiative aligns with India’s broader vision of technological self-reliance under the Atmanirbhar Bharat framework.

The 5G radio solution has been co-developed through a consortium involving VVDN Technologies and WiSig Networks, supporting both non-standalone (NSA) and standalone (SA) network architectures. While the development was funded by C-DoT, manufacturing responsibilities were undertaken by VVDN Technologies, reflecting a collaborative industry-academia model.

To further strengthen indigenous capabilities, C-DoT has engaged in additional partnerships under the Collaborative Research Program 2022 (CCRP-2022), including organizations such as Sionaltron Systems, Lekha Wireless Solutions, Sooktha Consulting, and Resonous Technologies. These collaborations aim to develop disaggregated 5G Open RAN solutions that are both cost-effective and scalable.

Initial deployment activities are underway, with trials scheduled in Ambala and existing deployment of the 5G NSA core in the network of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL). Notably, C-DoT has already contributed to the deployment of 4G-5G NSA core infrastructure as part of a consortium led by Tata Consultancy Services.

Upon successful proof-of-concept (PoC) validation and large-scale deployment within India, the consortium intends to expand into international markets. This progression positions India to emerge as a competitive global supplier of telecom equipment, alongside established industry leaders such as Huawei, ZTE, Nokia, and Ericsson.

In this context, C-DoT leadership emphasizes that successful deployment at the scale and complexity of India’s telecom networks—particularly within BSNL—will serve as a critical validation benchmark, enabling replication of the solution across global markets within the next one to two years.