DoT and C-DOT Sign Five-Year Agreement to Set Up End-to-End Optical Network Testbed in New Delhi.
National Testbed to Accelerate Indigenous Optical Communication Technologies from Lab Innovation to Market Readiness.
New Delhi:
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications, Government of India, has signed a strategic five-year agreement with the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) to establish a state-of-the-art End-to-End Optical Network Test Bed at the C-DOT campus in New Delhi.
The publicly funded initiative is aimed at creating a real-world testing and validation environment for optical communication technologies developed by Indian startups and industry players. The testbed is expected to help bridge the critical gap between laboratory-stage innovation and commercial deployment, enabling indigenous technologies to undergo testing, validation and refinement before entering the market.
The agreement was signed on August 27, 2026, by representatives of DoT and C-DOT in the presence of Alok Shukla, Advisor (Technology), DoT; Dr. Rajkumar Upadhyay, CEO, C-DOT; and Atul Kumar Singh, DDG (Networks & Technologies), DoT.
Boost to India’s Indigenous Optical Communication Ecosystem
The initiative is designed to strengthen India’s domestic optical communication ecosystem and support the development and deployment of home-grown technologies for next-generation telecommunications infrastructure.
According to the Department of Telecommunications, the testbed will act as a catalyst for Indian startups, researchers and industry players by providing access to a practical environment in which advanced optical communication solutions can be tested under realistic network conditions.
The project is also aligned with the vision of “Aatmanirbhar Bharat”, with an emphasis on developing secure, indigenous and deployment-ready communication technologies within the country.
The testbed will bring together C-DOT’s field-ready technologies covering optical core, optical access and quantum security, along with advanced third-party test and measurement equipment sourced from trusted vendors. This integrated environment will allow innovators to assess the performance, interoperability and readiness of emerging technologies.
Two-Phase Implementation Plan
The End-to-End Optical Network Test Bed will function as a shared national resource for innovation, testing, validation, commercialization and skill development.
The initiative will be implemented in two broad phases:
Phase I: Set-Up — Years 1 and 2
During the first two years, the focus will be on establishing the required infrastructure and technical facilities for the testbed.
The infrastructure will include components covering:
– Optical Core technologies
– Optical Access technologies
– Quantum Security technologies
– Advanced testing and measurement equipment from trusted third-party vendors
The completion of this phase will lead to the formal rollout of the End-to-End Optical Network Test Bed.
Phase II: Operations and Maintenance — Years 3 to 5
The subsequent three years will focus on ensuring the sustained operation and maintenance of the facility.
This phase will include technical support for users of the testbed, maintenance of the infrastructure and targeted educational and outreach programmes aimed at strengthening the wider optical communication ecosystem.
Platform for Startups, Researchers and Skill Development
Beyond technology testing, the facility is expected to play an important role in capacity building and skill development in advanced optical communications.
Students, researchers, startups and industry professionals will be able to gain hands-on exposure to next-generation optical networking technologies. Such practical training is intended to contribute to the development of a skilled workforce capable of designing, deploying and maintaining advanced communication networks.
By providing a common platform for experimentation and validation, the testbed could also help promising technologies move more efficiently from research and development into field deployment and commercial markets.
Strengthening Next-Generation Telecom Infrastructure
The establishment of the End-to-End Optical Network Test Bed represents an effort to create a stronger domestic ecosystem for optical communication technologies, which form an important part of modern high-capacity telecommunications networks.
The initiative brings together government support, C-DOT’s indigenous technology capabilities and participation from startups and industry. It is intended to facilitate innovation while helping Indian-developed technologies meet practical deployment requirements.
C-DOT’s Role in Indigenous Telecom Technology
The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) is a premier telecommunications research and development organisation under the Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications.
C-DOT has been involved in the development of indigenous, secure, standards-compliant and deployment-ready telecommunications technologies. Its work is aligned with national objectives relating to technological self-reliance and the creation of secure digital infrastructure.
With the new five-year agreement, DoT and C-DOT aim to provide India’s optical communication innovators with a dedicated national platform for testing, validation, training and commercialization, supporting the country’s broader push towards self-reliance in advanced telecommunications technology.
