IIT-BHU Gets C-DOT Centre to Advance 5G, 6G and AI Research

IIT (BHU) and C-DOT establish the sixth Centre of Excellence to advance research in 5G Advanced, 6G, AI-driven communications, quantum technologies and cybersecurity, strengthening India's indigenous telecom innovation ecosystem.

The Indian Institute of Technology  (BHU), Varanasi, partners with the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) to establish the sixth Centre of Excellence (CoE) in its national network, strengthening India's research and innovation ecosystem for next-generation telecommunications. C-DOT operates under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications, and focuses on developing indigenous communication technologies.

The collaboration aims to connect academic research with practical industry requirements by bringing together researchers, faculty members, students and telecom experts. Through joint research projects and knowledge exchange, the centre will support the development of advanced communication technologies and help build specialised talent for India's evolving telecom sector.

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The Centre of Excellence will focus on wireless communications, quantum technologies, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence-driven communication systems. Its research priorities include 5G Advanced and 6G technologies, very large-scale multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, integrated sensing and communication, AI-native communication networks and devices, and quantum and post-quantum communication technologies.

These areas are increasingly important to the development of secure, high-capacity and intelligent communication infrastructure. By combining C-DOT's experience in indigenous telecom research and development with IIT (BHU)'s academic capabilities, the partnership seeks to advance research that can translate into practical technological solutions.

The centre will provide a collaborative platform for students and researchers to work on real-world telecommunications challenges. The initiative is expected to promote sustained knowledge sharing, support technology development and encourage closer engagement between academic institutions and industry experts.

C-DOT Chief Executive Officer Rajkumar Upadhyay highlights the centre's role in building India's future technology capabilities. He notes that advances in AI, quantum technologies, wireless systems and intelligent networks will shape the next generation of communications.

IIT (BHU) Director Amit Patra also emphasises the importance of translating academic research into impactful technological solutions. The collaboration will enable students and researchers to engage with industry challenges while contributing to India's efforts to develop advanced communication technologies domestically.

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With the addition of IIT (BHU), C-DOT's network of Centres of Excellence includes collaborations with IIT Kanpur, IIT Gandhinagar, IIT Roorkee, IIT Hyderabad and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, through the Foundation for Science Innovation and Development.

The expanding network aims to strengthen research partnerships, nurture specialised talent and accelerate the development of future-ready communication systems. The IIT (BHU) centre further supports India's efforts to build indigenous telecom capabilities and advance innovation in technologies critical to the country's digital infrastructure.