HFCL, IIT Delhi launch research push to cut India's dependence on imported optical technology

Telecom manufacturer HFCL Limited has joined a government-funded research consortium led by IIT Delhi to develop hollow-core fiber (HCF) technology to build India's indigenous capabilities in advanced optical communications.

The project is backed by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and focuses on advancing hollow-core fiber for use in next-generation networks, including 6G and quantum communication systems. Unlike conventional solid-core fiber, hollow-core fiber transmits light through air rather than glass, which reduces signal latency and energy consumption, properties increasingly critical as AI data centers and high-capacity networks scale up globally.

HFCL will contribute in terms of its manufacturing expertise, industry perspective, and application insights to the consortium, helping to bridge the gap between laboratory research and commercial deployment, a statement by the company said.


The company operates optical fiber manufacturing facilities in Hyderabad and optical fiber cable facilities in Hyderabad, Goa, and Chennai. Its NABL-accredited laboratories provide testing and validation capabilities that the consortium will use for the research process, it added.

Mahendra Nahata, Managing Director of HFCL, said the collaboration would help align advanced research outcomes with practical deployment needs, noting that the evolving telecom landscape requires India to build domestic capabilities in optical technologies.

“This DoT-supported project aims to advance fundamental research and system-level understanding of hollow-core fiber technologies within the Indian ecosystem,” said Professor Deepak Jain, Principal Investigator at IIT Delhi.