Partnership will help push for projects as India bans Chinese telco products.
India’s ITI and IT service provider, Tech Mahindra plan to jointly create “Make in India” stack as part of this MoU for the upcoming 4G and 5G opportunities in India.
ITI Limited has experience in manufacturing 4G to 5G radio access network and related equipment in line with government’s initiative of Aatma Nirbhar Bharat.
Tech Mahindra will be responsible for providing the software IPs, implementation and integration services, operations and maintenance services.
The partnership intends to jointly build a framework that will provide solutions of the upcoming wireless technologies to different telecom service providers in the country and address business opportunities globally.
Shri R M Agarwal chairman and managing director at ITI Limited said the initiative is to build local competence by synergising the offerings of ITI and Tech Mahindra to create a next generation wireless stack that will help India to become self-sufficient in telecommunications.
“ITI with state-of-the-art facilities and capabilities for manufacturing Telecom equipment plans to manufacture the eNodeB and 5G NR products in the different plants using Tech Mahindra software and wireless technologies,” he said. “The partnership will not only help to reduce dependency on import of telecom equipment from foreign countries but also address the concerns in building a strategic network for Defence Communication.”
According to media reports a consortium led by Tech Mahindra has emerged as a prominent bidder for a 4G upgrade by BSNL, a state-backed Indian telco, after Chinese vendors were banned from the project.
“BSNL had previously planned a 4G overhaul at about 47,000 mobile sites, including the modernisation of networks in Delhi and Mumbai owned by MTNL, another state-backed operator with which BSNL is set to merge,” states Light Reading.
In June this year, The Economic Times reported the Indian government barred Chinese companies from providing any telecom equipment to state-run telcos and may also prohibit private mobile phone operators from using gear supplied by the likes of Huawei and ZTE going forward.
