About ₹500 Crore Approved Under TTDF for 120 Tech Projects: MoS Telecom

The Indian government has approved nearly ₹500 crore under the Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF) to support 120 technology projects aimed at strengthening the country’s digital infrastructure. These projects span across advanced domains including 5G, 6G, quantum communication, secure chipsets, and intelligent rural connectivity.

The update was shared by Union Minister of State for Telecom, Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, following a recent review meeting. He referred to TTDF as a flagship initiative to boost R&D and telecom innovation in India. “Since launch, ₹499.6 crore has been approved for 120 projects in 5G, 6G, chipsets, and quantum tech,” the Minister noted on social platform X.

TTDF, which is managed by Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), was launched on October 1, 2022. It aims to encourage indigenous development of telecom technology solutions and bridge existing digital gaps, especially in underserved and rural areas.

Since its inception, TTDF has received over 1,340 proposals. Out of these, 120 R&D projects have been approved, with ₹187 crore already disbursed. Sources from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) shared that the Minister emphasized the importance of delivering measurable outcomes and aligning project goals with real-world impact.

He proposed a series of reforms to strengthen the TTDF framework — including streamlined evaluation committees, defined project timelines, and monthly performance reviews. He also encouraged involving domain experts and reputed private equity professionals to improve project evaluation and sector relevance.

The review came shortly after the TTDF Symposium 2025, held at IIT Madras Research Park from June 19–21. During the event, 112 funded projects were evaluated across 12 technology verticals by more than 40 expert mentors.

To foster wider participation from startups and MSMEs, the Minister recommended simplifying scheme guidelines and reducing entry barriers. This is part of a broader push to make India’s telecom R&D ecosystem more inclusive, agile, and future-ready.