TEC, IIT Kharagpur sign MoU to strengthen India’s role in next-generation telecom standards.

New Delhi, February 25, 2026: The Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC) has signed an MoU with the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur) to collaborate on joint studies, research, and technical contributions in advanced telecommunications technologies and global standardization activities.

The MoU was signed on February 23, 2026, at IIT Kharagpur by Kamal Kumar Agarwal, DDG (FA), DoT, and Prof. Debdeep Mukhopadhyay, Associate Dean (R&D), IIT Kharagpur, in the presence of Prof. Suman Chakraborty, Prof. Goutam Das, Dr. Debarati Sen from IIT Kharagpur, and Souvick Kumar Das, DDG (RTEC).

TEC and IIT Kharagpur are focusing on future network technologies:

The partnership establishes a formal framework for close collaboration between the Telecommunication Engineering Centre and IIT Kharagpur on next-generation telecom technologies and standardization efforts.

A key objective is the development of India-specific standards for emerging network technologies such as 6G, optical communications, and Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs).

The collaboration will also focus on advanced telecom domains, including Passive Optical Network (PON) technologies, advanced antenna systems, Massive MIMO for 5G and future wireless networks, and electromagnetic field (EME) monitoring solutions.

A major thrust of the MoU is to enhance India’s participation and leadership in international standardization platforms, particularly the International Telecommunication Union’s Standardization Sector (ITU-T), along with other global forums.

Key areas of collaboration:

The partnership will focus on the following strategic areas: 6G Technologies research on 6G architecture and enabling technologies, with contributions to research pre-standardization, and global standardization activities in forums such as ITU.

AI-enabled telecom systems joint R&D and standardization of EMF monitoring solutions, including smart IoT sensor development using AI and safety lab frameworks to enhance public safety and regulatory compliance.

Radio, Antenna & MIMO technologies collaborative research on advanced antenna systems, massive MIMO, and related radio access technologies.

Satellite & Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs) joint studies on satellite communication systems, NTNs, High Altitude Platform Stations (HAPs), and satellite-terrestrial integration, including disaster-resilient and emergency connectivity solutions.

Boost to global standardization and Atmanirbhar Bharat:

The collaboration aims to accelerate indigenous research and development while strengthening India’s influence in global telecom standardization processes.

By deepening India’s contributions to international standard-setting bodies such as the ITU, the partnership seeks to ensure that future global telecom standards reflect India’s technological priorities and requirements.

Aligned with the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision, the MoU will support the development of India-specific standards, testing frameworks, and home-grown telecom solutions, strengthening national self-reliance, securing critical communications infrastructure, and reducing dependence on imports.

The Telecommunication Engineering Centre is the technical branch of the Department of Telecommunications, Government of India.

 The Telecommunication Engineering Centre is responsible for formulating technical standards, specifications, and conformity assessment requirements for telecom equipment and networks in India.

It represents India in international forums such as ITU-T and ITU-R, and coordinates national working groups for global standardization activities.

The IIT Kharagpur is a premier institute of national importance with strong academic and research capabilities in advanced telecommunications, 5G and 6G technologies, optical communications, artificial intelligence applications in telecom, and emerging ICT domains.

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EOM.