Telecom is key to India's digital security: MoS Dr Pemmasani

Telecom must be recognised as integral to national security, Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development Dr Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani said on Monday, as he praised engineers at the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) for their pivotal role in safeguarding India’s digital infrastructure.

Addressing C-DOT’s 42nd Foundation Day in New Delhi as the chief guest, Pemmasani stressed the strategic importance of telecom networks. “Every network we build, every signal we transmit, every data packet we carry is part of India’s strategic infrastructure. C-DOT engineers are not only technologists but also guardians of India’s digital borders,” he remarked.

He urged the R&D centre to position itself as an institution of global eminence by 2047, when India celebrates 100 years of independence. “The world should look to you for secure, affordable, and trusted telecom solutions. That is the scale of ambition we must set for ourselves,” Pemmasani added. He also appreciated the delivery of the 4G core for BSNL’s network and asked engineers to scale it into a world-class product.

The minister also highlighted that the indigenous 4G and 5G stack built by C-DOT is now powering nearly one lakh BSNL towers, placing India among a handful of countries with end-to-end telecom technology. With this milestone, India has become the fifth player globally—after Nokia, Ericsson, Samsung and Huawei—to develop and deploy a 4G stack.

Strategic Role Beyond Connectivity

Speaking as the guest of honour, Department of Telecommunication Secretary Dr Neeraj Mittal lauded the engineers for achieving what only a few nations have accomplished. “Thanks to C-DOT, India is now among that select group,” he said.

Mittal emphasised the need for continued R&D to advance India’s digital growth story. “This requires innovation, collaboration, and a relentless focus on addressing local challenges with globally competitive solutions. We must work relentlessly to fulfil the Prime Minister’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat,” he added, assuring full government support.

Reaffirming the organisation's commitment to self-reliance and indigenous technologies, C-DOT’s CEO, Dr Rajkumar Upadhyay, highlighted that its role extends into cybersecurity as well. He said C-DOT's AI-based technologies have helped the government disconnect nearly five crore suspicious mobile connections linked to cyber frauds. “As C-DOT enters its 42nd year, it reaffirms its unwavering commitment to Atmanirbhar Bharat. C-DOT has not only pioneered pathbreaking solutions for India’s unique needs but has also become a symbol of self-reliance and technological excellence,” he said.

Driving Innovation and Inclusion

The Foundation Day also spotlighted initiatives to broaden innovation in the sector. Under the NIDHI programme, ten women-led startups received R&D grants, reinforcing C-DOT’s strategy of fostering synergetic innovation in collaboration with academia and industry.

Experts from IIT Delhi, IIT Hyderabad, IISc, and industry leaders discussed advancements in AI, 6G, cybersecurity, and quantum communication, stressing the need to strengthen India’s research ecosystem to lead in future telecom networks.

Since its inception in 1984, C-DOT has been central to India’s telecom story—from rural connectivity to BharatNet and now indigenous 4G/5G. With active R&D in next-generation networks, AI, and secure communications, the institution is positioning itself as a key enabler of India’s digital and sovereign future.