New Delhi, April 22 (IANS) The government on Wednesday unveiled a revamped Rs 203 crore technology development and investment promotion (TDIP) Scheme for 2026–31, aimed at deepening India’s role in global telecom standard-setting, strengthening indigenous innovation and fast-tracking the development of next-generation technologies such as 6G.

Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, released the revised guidelines, positioning the scheme as a strategic lever to elevate India from a technology participant to a global standard-setter.

The event was also attended by Minister of State for Communications, Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, and Secretary (Telecommunications) Amit Agrawal.

Designed as a comprehensive support framework, the TDIP scheme will fund Indian stakeholders to actively engage in international telecom standardisation platforms such as the International Telecommunication Union, 3GPP and oneM2M.

The financial assistance will cover participation in global meetings, submission of technical contributions, leadership roles in study groups and hosting of international standardisation events in India.

The move comes as India seeks to shape the evolution of future communication systems, including 5G Advanced and 6G, by aligning domestic innovation with global frameworks.

The Ministry of Communications said the scheme would enable sustained engagement with global bodies, ensuring Indian technologies are reflected in international standards while boosting intellectual property creation and export potential.

The revised guidelines significantly widen the scheme’s ambit to include startups, MSMEs, academia, research institutions, telecom operators and industry players. This expanded participation is expected to drive collaborative innovation across the telecom value chain and strengthen India’s innovation ecosystem.

In addition to standardisation efforts, the scheme will support pilot projects, proof-of-concept initiatives and technology demonstrations, helping bridge the gap between research and commercial deployment.

Implementation will be carried out through key agencies such as the Telecommunications Standards Development Society India, Telecom Centres of Excellence India and Telecommunications Consultants India Limited, which will coordinate industry participation and capacity-building efforts.

The TDIP scheme complements ongoing initiatives like the Telecom Technology Development Fund and the Bharat 6G Mission, forming a broader policy push to build a globally competitive telecom ecosystem.

–IANS

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