C-DOT to Generate Rs 1000 Crore Revenue

New Delhi, Jul 3 (PTI) State-owned telecom research organisation C-DOT is likely to generate Rs 1,000 crore revenue in the current fiscal, Minister of State for Telecom Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani said on Thursday.

While speaking on the launch of the core 5G router by C-DOT, the minister said growth in C-DOT revenue reflects on its commercial relevance and technology leadership.

"C-DoT's projected revenue of around Rs 1,000 crore this year, alongside a government grant of Rs 400 crore, is a strong testament to its growing commercial relevance and technological leadership. It demonstrates how a public R&D institution can evolve into a self-sustaining engine of innovation -- delivering cutting-edge indigenous solutions while upholding national priorities in telecom security and digital inclusion," Pemmasani said.

Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) is expected to get a grant of around Rs 400 crore from the Centre, which will be in addition to the Rs 1,000 crore revenue that the organisation will generate from technology agreements.

The organisation's revenue in 2024-25 was Rs 536 crore, excluding around Rs 500 crore grant from the government.

Pemmasani lauded C-DOT's work on 4G technology that made India the 5th country globally to make its 4G network gear.

The 5G core router developed by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) can support a data load of up to 25.6 terabits per second.

During interaction with scientists and engineers at C-DOT, the minister advised them to focus on building solutions, not just products.

In response to the question of why he joined politics despite his multi-crore business, the minister said he completed his medical education in India by paying a very nominal fee in a government college and always had a motive to serve the country.

"I studied medicine here, I only paid Rs 15,000 for my entire medical school. It is kind of a government fee, but I never served the country. I always wanted to do something back to the country. That was the primary motive because taxpayers' money is what made me a doctor, and that gave me (the opportunity) to build something extraordinary. So, that deep gratitude is what brought me here," he added.

He is India's richest Member of Parliament with a net worth of over Rs 5,700 crore.

Pemmsani assured C-DOT engineers and scientists to provide all support to help them facilitate easy and timely procurement of items required for research.