Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF)
Department of Telecommunications (DoT) — Digital Bharat Nidhi
Telecom Technology Development Fund (DoT / Digital Bharat Nidhi), notified 1 Oct 2022: grants for telecom R&D (5G/6G, optical, telecom SoCs, rural connectivity, field pilots) to India-headquartered companies, startups/MSMEs, academia and consortia. Proposals are invited roughly every six months; TCOE handles projects up to ₹10 crore and C-DOT larger ones; milestone tranches (15/30/30/25%); private applicants contribute at least 10% of capital items (addendum 16 Mar 2026). No window open on the DBN portal in early Oct 2026.
What changed: New in this edition (not in the June 2026 playbook)
Sources (3)
TTDF, set up under Digital Bharat Nidhi (formerly USOF) and notified on 1 October 2022, funds research, prototyping, IP creation and field trials of telecom products in India.
Objectives
Build domestic capability in telecom technologies and products, including standards-essential IP, next-generation (6G) technologies and solutions for rural and remote connectivity.
Who can apply?
- India-headquartered companies (more than 50% owned by resident Indians, not foreign subsidiaries), startups/MSMEs, academic and R&D institutions, Section 8 companies and consortia of these.
- Academic proposals aiming at commercialisation should preferably have an industry partner.
What do you get?
- Grant funding for R&D up to high-TRL products and IP; projects up to ₹10 crore handled by TCOE, larger ones by C-DOT.
- Milestone-based tranches (typically 15% / 30% / 30% / 25%); private applicants contribute at least 10% of capital items (addendum, 16 Mar 2026).
How to apply
Proposals are invited roughly every six months on the Digital Bharat Nidhi TTDF portal. No window was open in early October 2026. Apps, import-substitution and network-efficiency ideas go to DCIS instead.