C-Dot inks pact with global tech giant Qualcomm to boost India’s telecom ecosystem (Lead)

Qualcomm Technologies has signed an MoU with C-DOT to provide expertise and best practices, state-of-the-art technology, intellectual property training and tools, for enabling Indian startups, academia, and OEMs, and fast-tracking the development and commercialisation of indigenous telecom products utilising Qualcomm wireless solutions and technologies.

Through this collaboration, C-DOT and Qualcomm Technologies will work towards the following broad objectives:

Facilitate access for the startups, OEMs and academia with foundational chip technologies and domain experts that will stimulate innovation and help them scale up their R&D efforts

Accelerate the pace of commercialisation and business development of Indian startups engaged in building indigenous telecom products and solutions

Speaking on the initiative, Neeraj Mittal, Chairman, of the Digital Communications Commission and Secretary of, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) said that India's developers, academia and startup ecosystem are at the forefront of driving innovation in the country.

“With immense pride in our nation's cutting-edge research, we stand alongside Qualcomm in nurturing the entrepreneurial vigour in telecom technology. This initiative is reaffirming the Prime Minister’s commitment to the government’s Design in India and Make in India vision, recognising the potential of homegrown startups to drive groundbreaking innovations and propel India’s leadership in the telecom landscape,” he said.

Rajkumar Upadhyay, CEO, of C-DOT, said “Our collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies will help transition us to an era where innovation thrives, unlocking the vast potential of Indian R&D, accelerating the commercialisation of new products and use cases and fostering a vibrant ecosystem of startups.

Speaking on Qualcomm’s commitment to India, Savi Soin, Senior Vice President, and President of Qualcomm India said that India has a thriving developer and startup ecosystem driven by enormous technology talent.

“The recent initiatives by the government have been key in making India a growth conducive market for tech companies of various scales. With the government’s push for Design in India coupled with growing adoption of 5G and on the device-AI, we see greater scope for innovations,” he said.