• The DoT and ITU will collaborate on AI-driven solutions, digital twins, virtual worlds, and IMT-2030 technologies to develop global standards.
  • The partnership will create sandbox environments to test digital twin technologies and adapt regulatory frameworks for technological advancements.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to advance collaboration on AI-driven solutions, digital twins, virtual worlds, and IMT-2030 technologies.

The partnership aims to develop global standards for interoperability, drive sustainable development, and promote citizen-centric urban planning frameworks.

As part of the collaboration, the DoT will contribute insights from its Sangam initiative, while ITU will share findings from its Citiverse programme.

Both organizations will work towards integrating data across sectors, fostering collaborative planning, and refining global standards for emerging technologies.

Sangam and Citiverse, launched by DoT and ITU respectively, focus on infrastructure planning, education, and municipal governance through digital twin technologies.

Digital twins, which create virtual replicas of physical assets such as city maps and buildings, are gaining traction as transformative tools in urban development, transport, and healthcare.

India will also collaborate with ITU-T Study Group 20 to establish global standards and APIs for the Internet of Things (IoT), digital twins, and smart cities.

The partnership will create sandbox environments to test new digital twin technologies, pilot innovative projects, and adapt regulatory frameworks to accommodate technological advancements.

Additionally, AI-driven platforms will be employed to encourage participatory governance, enabling real-time citizen engagement in urban planning and decision-making.

Both entities will also exchange knowledge on privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) to ensure the creation of privacy-conscious digital twins for urban planning.

The collaboration will further focus on developing AI models tailored to local datasets, providing customized solutions for infrastructure planning and urban mobility challenges.

Launched in February 2024, the DoT’s “Sangam: Digital Twin initiative” aims to leverage 5G/6D, IoT, AI, and AR/VR technologies for building smart infrastructure.

This follows the Indian government’s push for the National Digital Twin programme under the national geospatial policy in 2023, designed to facilitate data sharing across infrastructure sectors.

Edited By Annette George