India and the United Kingdom are exploring opportunities for collaboration in artificial intelligence (AI), next-generation telecommunications, and space technology to strengthen Indo-U.K. ties.

The Secretary (Telecom) of India recently visited the United Kingdom to engage with the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), U.K., and met Chris Johnson, DSIT’s national scientific adviser, and Dave Smith, the department’s national technology adviser. The discussions centred on emerging technologies and their applications in 5G, 6G, digital infrastructure security.

In a statement, India’s Ministry of Communications said that the Secretary also met Jean Innes, CEO of the Alan Turing Institute, for discussions on potential collaboration in digital twins, AI for telecom security, ethical AI, and fostering an AI innovation and startup ecosystem.

The visit underscores India’s and the U.K.’s shared commitment to drive innovation in telecom and digital infrastructure, paving the way for enhanced collaboration in next-generation connectivity solutions, the statement said. It also reflects India’s proactive approach to shaping global telecom policies, fostering AI-driven innovations, and strengthening international partnerships for a digitally inclusive future.

Simultaneously, India and the U.K. resumed negotiations towards a trade deal between the two countries. U.K.’s Secretary of State of the Department for Business and Trade, the Rt Hon Jonathan Reynolds, was in India’s capital city, New Delhi, where he met India’s Minister for Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal.

“With a shared commitment to strengthening economic ties, both nations are determined to achieve meaningful outcomes that further deepen our partnership,” Goyal said.

“Confident that our negotiations will pave the way for an equitable and mutually beneficial India-UK Free Trade Agreement, driving prosperity and long-term economic growth.”

According to the British government estimates, the U.K. and India are currently the sixth and fifth largest global economies, respectively, with a trade relationship worth £41 billion ($52 billion) and investment supporting over 600,000 jobs across both countries. The world’s most populous nation has been the second biggest source of foreign direct investment (FDI) into the U.K. for five consecutive years in terms of number of projects.

“India and the United Kingdom have a close partnership, built through collaboration on security and defence, new and emerging technologies, climate, health, education, research and innovation, green finance and people-to-people contacts. At the centre of this relationship is the collective aspiration to deliver economic growth and sustainable development,” a India-U.K. joint statement read.

The strengthening of the trade relationship between the two countries is expected to unlock opportunities for businesses and consumers across both nations. This trade agreement may be India’s most ambitious, highlighting the country’s increasing attractiveness as an alternative destination for investors seeking options outside China. India has been strengthening its relationships with key trade partners to boost local manufacturing and generate employment opportunities for its large, young population.

Negotiations are resuming at a time when India is also working swiftly to finalize a trade agreement with the United States by the fall of this year, all while aiming to circumvent the full impact of Trump’s trade restrictions.

U.K.-India technology security initiative

Following the roundtable, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between SONIC Labs and the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT). The agreement focuses on Open RAN-related policy and technical matters, including 5G Open RAN and AI in 4G and 5G.

SONIC Labs (SmartRAN Open Network Interoperability Centre) is a world-leading innovation programme and research and development (R&D) facility based in London, funded by the U.K. Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). On the other hand, C-DOT is the R&D centre of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Government of India. It is dedicated to developing indigenous telecom technologies, including 4G/5G solutions, AI-driven network management, and cybersecurity frameworks.

Other key areas of collaboration identified during the deliberations with various stakeholders on the telecom ecosystem of the U.K., include the establishment of a joint centre of excellence focusing on AI in telecom, telecom cybersecurity, and digital twins.

The India-U.K. collaboration would also include initiatives with British telecom companies to leverage mobile phone data for infrastructure planning, building upon India’s success in using such data for metro route planning.

The two countries would also collaborate on digital twins, including standardization frameworks, privacy-enhancing technologies, and cross-sectoral data applications. In Indian telecom, “digital twin technology” virtually represents physical network components such as cell towers, data centers, or entire infrastructure. This model continuously updates with real-time data from sensors and other sources, allowing operators to monitor performance, forecast maintenance needs, and enhance network operations using advanced simulations and analytics. It serves as a digital counterpart to the physical network, supporting informed decision-making.

The India-U.K. collaboration initiatives would also include advancing quantum communication solutions and submarine sea cable security. The two nations would consider collaborating on space technology communication (TN-NTN) between the U.K. and India’s Bharat 6G Alliance.

In March 2023, Prime Minister Modi released India’s 6G vision, the “Bharat 6G Vision” document, which envisaged India to be a frontline contributor in the design, development and deployment of 6G technology by 2030. Bharat 6G Vision is based on principles of affordability, sustainability and ubiquity.

According to Jyotiraditya Scindia, India’s telecom minister, the Bharat 6G Alliance has tied up with its counterparts in America, Germany, Brazil, and South Korea to work together.

“We followed the world in 4G. We walked with the world in 5G. We will lead the world in 6G,” Scindia said at an event.

Watch: India is going to be the frontrunner in digitalization

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