THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 18, 2026

India and Germany have reinforced their strategic partnership in telecommunications and digital transformation, committing to a future-ready framework that prioritises secure networks, emerging technologies and global standards. The renewed momentum follows the signing of the Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) last month, with both countries now moving toward structured implementation through time-bound collaboration and joint work plans.

The bilateral meeting held at Sanchar Bhawan in New Delhi between Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia and Germany’s Federal Minister for Digital Transformation and Government Modernization Karsten Wildberger underscored the growing convergence between the two economies on digital governance and advanced telecom systems. The dialogue reflected mutual recognition of technological progress on both sides and a shared view that the current phase offers significant scope for deeper cooperation in next-generation connectivity.

The JDI, signed during the India–Germany Summit on 10 January 2026, provides a non-binding yet forward-looking framework for policy dialogue, scientific exchange and technical collaboration. Officials described it as a flexible platform designed to convert shared intent into measurable outcomes through defined timelines, stakeholder mapping and periodic review mechanisms.

Scindia emphasised that the partnership must move beyond broad statements and deliver tangible results. He highlighted India’s scale in digital connectivity, noting that the country now has more than 1.23 billion telecom subscribers and close to a billion internet users, with 5G coverage reaching nearly all districts. Ultra-low data tariffs, averaging about ten cents per gigabyte, have enabled mass adoption and created what he termed a robust digital carriageway for global collaboration. He pointed to India’s Digital Public Infrastructure as a key strength, particularly the Unified Payments Interface, which processes roughly 250 billion transactions annually and is being adopted by multiple countries as an interoperable digital payments model.

Germany, while acknowledging India’s rapid digital expansion, brought to the table its strengths in secure communications and quantum technologies. Wildberger shared Germany’s progress in quantum encryption and demonstrated the feasibility of quantum communication over a 35-kilometre link sustained for eleven consecutive days. He stressed that early and active engagement with India would be crucial to unlocking the full potential of 6G and building trusted, sovereign network architectures.

Both sides agreed to convene the first high-level meeting under the JDI framework to finalise an initial two-year work plan. The plan will identify priority domains, launch flagship projects and ensure outcome-driven execution through regular virtual monitoring. Key areas of cooperation will include 5G and 5G-Advanced deployment, early 6G standardisation, network modernisation, AI at the edge, industry-grade network slicing and resilient telecom supply chains.

Institutional collaboration emerged as a central pillar of the partnership. Ongoing work between the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) and Germany’s Fraunhofer Heinrich-Hertz Institute was highlighted as a model for joint research in advanced telecom, quantum communication, artificial intelligence and next-generation network technologies. Both governments also see opportunities in Open RAN ecosystems, indigenous technology development and open-source innovation networks linking academia and industry.

The two countries underscored the importance of coordinated engagement in global forums such as the International Telecommunication Union to promote interoperable and secure telecom standards. India sought Germany’s support for its candidature for key ITU positions and for hosting the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in 2030, signalling a broader diplomatic dimension to the technology partnership.

By aligning strengths in scale, affordability and digital public infrastructure with expertise in secure networks and quantum communication, India and Germany aim to build trusted telecom ecosystems and resilient digital supply chains. The renewed engagement under the JDI framework positions both nations to play a more influential role in shaping global standards for the 6G era and beyond.