India and the United Kingdom have taken a significant step to strengthen their digital partnership by announcing the launch of the India-UK Connectivity and Innovation Center (CIC).
Unveiled during the India Mobile Congress 2025 and timed with Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s inaugural visit to India, the center marks a long-term joint commitment to accelerating telecom innovation.
Governments from both nations pledged a total of £24 million (about Rs 282 crore) over four years for CIC’s mission.
The agreement, signed by Catherine Page of the UK’s Department of Science, Innovation and Technology and Parag Agrawal from India’s Department of Telecom, establishes a robust framework for shared research, industrial projects, and standards development in next-generation telecommunications.
How will the center transform telecom innovation?
CIC aims to bring together top researchers, innovators, and telecom businesses from both the UK and India. By tapping into world-leading research environments, the center will catalyze the development and commercialization of advanced telecom solutions.
CIC’s collaborative testbeds and funding for applied research are positioned to deliver discoveries, accelerate 6G research, and create globally competitive products.
Executives emphasize that the center not only supports telecom giants but also opens doors for smaller tech firms, providing them with a launchpad to test and deploy breakthrough technologies in both markets.
By working in unison, Indian and British companies can leverage the latest expertise in artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, and hardware development for next-gen networks.
Did you know?
India has the second-largest telecommunications market globally in terms of the total number of telephone subscribers (including both mobile and fixed lines), with over 1.19 billion subscribers as of September 2024.
What strategic areas will the center prioritize?
According to officials, CIC has three main strategic areas: harnessing AI for telecommunications, building non-terrestrial networks (such as satellites and airborne systems), and strengthening cyber resilience.
Research projects under CIC will focus on developing transformative AI-driven telecom solutions, addressing network security threats, and exploring advanced architectures for satellite-based and hybrid terrestrial systems.
This multi-tiered focus reflects an understanding that future telecom infrastructure must be robust, flexible, and secure, a necessity as digital economies scale and societies increasingly depend on reliable connectivity.
How does the initiative boost UK-India relations?
The telecom partnership is a flagship element in the broader technology and trade agenda between the UK and India, reflecting both nations’ commitments in the India-UK Vision 2035 roadmap.
By establishing formal industry-academic collaborations and facilitating mutual investments in research and development, the CIC serves as a vital bridge across the digital economies of both countries.
Prime Minister Starmer’s visit, paired with this significant announcement, underscores the priority placed on high-tech and digital cooperation.
UK officials describe the center as a vital platform for solving common connectivity challenges and driving joint influence in global standards forums.
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Who leads and supports the collaboration?
Leadership roles are shared by Catherine Page and Parag Agrawal, representing their national telecom authorities, with broad support from the UK’s Department of Science, Innovation and Technology and India’s Department of Telecom.
The CIC’s council will include representatives from academia, private industry, and government to ensure broad-based participation and agility in global R&D.
By integrating research institutes and industry, CIC leverages the strengths of both nations. Public and private investments further underpin CIC’s longevity and commitment to world-class results.
What broader impact could this center have on the global telecommunications industry?
The CIC signals a new era of cross-border telecom innovation. As research and prototypes become standards and commercial offerings, the center has the potential to shape telecommunications not just in India and the UK, but also to influence technical directions globally.
Its early focus on AI, security, and non-terrestrial networking aligns with trends poised to define the industry over the next decade.
With its collaborative ethos and shared funding, the CIC could establish a model for international R&D cooperation, yielding benefits that ripple through digital inclusion, security, and global economic growth.
If sustained, this strategic venture may help both countries anchor themselves as digital leaders, catalyzing innovations that ripple far beyond their borders.
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