“This University Is Not Just an Institution—It’s a Mini City of Engineers”: Union Minister Scindia

Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Union Minister of Communications and Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DONER), today inaugurated the VTU-VRIF-TCOE Hub and Spoke of Excellence in Bengaluru.  This Centre of Excellence (CoE) is a strategic partnership between Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), the Visvesvaraya Research and Innovation Foundation (VRIF), and Telecom Centres of Excellence (TCOE) India. The collaboration aims to establish a state-of-the-art innovation ecosystem with a focus on emerging domains including 5G/6G communications, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR), quantum computing, Healthcare and other frontier technologies.

Addressing the vast academic community of VTU, Shri Scindia stressed the importance of Bengaluru in India’s tech landscape, stating “The world calls Bengaluru India’s Silicon Valley. But I say—in the next decade, Silicon Valley will be seen as a version of Bengaluru. This is a city where code is written over coffee, satellites are launched before traffic signals, and startups are born every minute.”

The new Centre aims to be a launchpad for deep-tech research and startup incubation, powered by a robust academia-industry partnership. With over 20 startups and 30 academic institutions already on board, the ecosystem is set to drive innovation at scale. The initiative is also supported by leading tech firms including Keysight Technologies, QpiAI, Televerge, etc. Skill development efforts are being guided by the Telecom Sector Skill Council (TSSC).

Beyond its technical vision, Union Minister Scindia emphasized the larger policy shift ushered in by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, stating that, “In the last 11 years, PM Modi has fundamentally redefined the role of government—from a regulator to a facilitator. This Centre is a direct extension of that transformation.”

Citing remarkable growth in India’s digital infrastructure, Shri Scindia noted, “Eleven years ago, we had 250 million internet users. Today, we have over 974 million internet subscribers and 940 million broadband users. We’re building the world’s largest optical fiber network—an invisible digital highway that will visibly transform 140 crore lives.”

Also present at the inaugural event were Dr. Sharanprakash R. Patil, Karnataka’s Minister for Medical Education and Skill Development; Prof. T.G. Sitharam, Chairman, AICTE; Dr. S. Vidyashankar, Vice-Chancellor, VTU; and senior executives from India’s leading technology companies.

Union Minister Scindia also reflected on India’s evolution from a software services hub to a product innovation powerhouse:

“We once imported 90% of our mobile phones. Today, India is exporting mobile phones worth over ₹2.5 lakh crore, including to the US. It’s time we move from being the world’s back office to becoming its innovation engine.”

The VTU-VRIF-TCOE Centre of Excellence is poised to become a cornerstone in India’s journey toward becoming a global deep-tech leader, reaffirming the government’s commitment to enabling innovation, empowering youth, and unlocking the full potential of India’s digital economy.

The Union Minister also visited the centre’s facilities and engaged in discussions with startup innovators and academic researchers.

Later in the evening, Minister Scindia will chair a review meeting of the Bharat 6G Alliance, evaluating progress across its seven working groups as India accelerates.