In February 2025, Neeraj Mittal, Secretary of Department of Telecommunications(DoT), Ministry of Communications(MoC), visited the United Kingdom (UK) to engage with the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), UK, and explore opportunities for collaboration in next-generation telecommunications, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and space technology, further strengthening Indo-UK ties in these critical areas.
- During the visit, Neeraj Mittal engaged with UK counterparts, including Chris Johnson, National Scientific Adviser, and Dave Smith, National Technology Adviser with the Department of Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT).
Key Points:
i.During the visit, India and the UK reaffirmed their commitment to advancing global standards in digital technologies, particularly in AI-driven solutions, 5G/6G technologies, and cybersecurity frameworks.
ii.Neeraj Mittal held a field visit at one of the six Federated Telecom Hubs (FTH) in the UK, specializing in Communications Hub for Empowering Distributed Cloud Computing Applications and Research (CHEDDAR).
- This hub is at the center of cutting-edge research in advanced sensing technologies, AI for 6G, green 6G, and 6G distributed cloud.
iii. During the visit, he also met with Jean Innes, Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of the Alan Turing Institute, to discuss potential partnerships in developing digital twins, AI for telecom security, ethical AI frameworks, and fostering an innovative startup ecosystem in AI.
UK-India Telecom Roundtable Discussion:
i.A roundtable discussion was held to strengthen the UK-India collaboration in telecom security and innovation under the UK-India Technology Security Initiative (TSI).
ii.It was organized by the High Commission of India (HCI) in partnership with UK Technology Innovation Network (UKTIN).
iii.The discussions centred on emerging technologies and their applications in 5G, 6G, digital infrastructure security.
iv.During the discussion, the Centre for Development of Telematics (CDOT) under DoT, MoC and SONIC Labs (SmartRAN Open Network Interoperability Centre) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
- The agreement focuses on technical and policy issues related to Open Radio Access Network (RAN), including 5G Open RAN and AI in 4G/5G.
Key areas of collaboration between India & the UK:
i.India and the UK will establish Joint Centres of Excellence(CoE) focusing on telecom cybersecurity, AI in telecom, and digital twins to enhance cooperation in emerging technologies.
ii.British telecom operators will collaborate with Indian counterparts to use mobile phone data for urban infrastructure planning, building inspiration from India’s successful application of data analytics in metro route planning.
iii.Both countries will contribute jointly to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for the formulation of 6G standards (International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) – 2030).
iv.India and the UK will pursue mutual recognition of telecom testing laboratories and establish new testing facilities.
v.Collaboration will focus on Digital Twin applications, including the development of standardization frameworks, privacy-enhancing technologies, and cross-sectoral data applications.
vi.Both nations will work together on advancing quantum communication solutions and enhancing submarine sea cable security.
vii.India’s indigenously developed 4G/5G telecom stack by C-DOT will be promoted for wider adoption in the UK-based telecom networks.
viii.The partnership will extend to space-based communication (Terrestrial Networks-Non-Terrestrial Networks, TN-NTN), strengthening cooperation between the UK and India’s Bharat 6G Alliance.
Recent Related News:
In January 2025, India and the United Kingdom (UK) have renewed their health and life sciences partnership by signing a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and sharing knowledge in areas of mutual interest within health and life sciences during a ceremony held in New Delhi (Delhi).
About Ministry of Communications (MoC):
Union Minister- Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia (Constituency- Guna, Madhya Pradesh, MP)
Minister of State (MoS)-Â Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani (Constituency- Guntur, Andhra Pradesh,AP)
