During the visit, the Secretary met with Mr. Chris Johnson, National Scientific Adviser, and Mr. Dave Smith, National Technology Adviser of DSIT. Discussions focused on emerging technologies, including 5G, 6G, and digital infrastructure security. Additionally, the Secretary met Mr. Geoff Huggins, Director of the Digital Directorate, Government of Scotland, to discuss telecom security, digital transformation, and innovation in telecom technologies.

Federated Telecom Hubs & AI Innovations The Secretary toured one of the six Federated Telecom Hubs (FTH) in the UK, specialising in Cloud and Distributed Computing (CHEDDAR). This hub spearheads research in 6G distributed cloud, AI for 6G, green 6G, and advanced sensing technologies. Furthering AI collaboration, the Secretary met Ms. Jean Innes, CEO of the Alan Turing Institute, to discuss digital twins, AI-driven telecom security, ethical AI, and fostering an AI innovation ecosystem.

Advancing 6G & Research Collaborations The Secretary also visited Scotland’s 5G Centre at the University of Strathclyde and the 6G Research Centre at the University of Glasgow’s James Watt School of Engineering. These visits focused on collaborative research in 6G innovations, future sensing technologies, technology exchange (5G stack), and student exchange programs. The Scotland 5G Centre also showcased a remote dental surgery demonstration using 6G technology.

UK-India Telecom Roundtable & MoU Signing A high-profile UK-India Telecom Roundtable was organised by the High Commission of India (HCI) and UK Technology Innovation Network (UKTIN). The event, aligned with the UK-India Technology Security Initiative (TSI), included key stakeholders from DSIT, BT, Ericsson, SONIC Labs, UK Telecom Labs, TITAN, JOINER, UK Space Agency, European Space Agency, and Innovate UK.

During the roundtable, Dr. Neeraj Mittal highlighted India’s leadership in the telecom sector and rapid advancements in next-generation networks. The event culminated in discussions on strengthening mutual cooperation, technology sharing, and innovation-led partnerships.

This visit underscored the growing Indo-UK strategic collaboration in telecom, AI, and space technology, paving the way for joint innovations and academic-industry partnerships.