NEW DELHI: Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL), a state-run telecom and engineering company that maintains an order book of close to Rs 6,700 crores currently, aims to become a master system integrator. In an interaction with the PageOneAsia, TCIL Chairman-and-Managing Director Sanjeev Kumar said that the public-owned firm would allow preference to local technology not only within India but also for overseas initiatives in line with Centre's Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative. Edited excerpts.

What are your immediate focus areas at TCIL?

Information Technology (IT), telecom, 4G/5G applications, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT)-based agriculture, transportation, asset management and other applications such as business automation, e-Healthcare, e-Eductaion,  customer relationship management (CRM), citizen-centric eServices, railway signaling, and safety services, are some of the focus areas.

Since you have technological insights and experience, how will you plan to take TCIL to get into areas such as 5G, 6G, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) and Machine Learning (ML)?

TCIL shall go with focused approach on these technology areas. TCIL shall tie up with different technology providers, startups and act as a master system integrator to offer user-friendly innovative solutions leveraging IT and telecom technologies.

With Centre's Atmanirbhar (self-reliant India) Bharat, how are you using products that are locally manufactured? What is your roadmap?

TCIL fully supports government's Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. TCIL shall give preference to local technology not only within India but for our foreign projects as well.

What are your current Government-to-Government (G2G) projects, and how are you helping Indian companies go global?

Our current G2G projects include BharatNet projects in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh as well as IT-enablement of postman/post office, virtual class, asset tracking in addition to construction of Eklavya Model School, JNV schools, Kendriya Vidalaya schools and a medical college.

We are also undertaking e-Arogya Bharti and e-Vidya Bharti project for African nations.

By when TCIL is expected to come up with an Initial Public Offer (IPO)?

The Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) has to decide the right time for IPO. Our current focus is to disinvest 30% stake of TCIL into Bharti Hexacom Limited.

What is your current order book size? What is your current revenue, and how much do you plan to grow it by 2025?

The current order book value is of nearly Rs 6,700 crores, and annual revenue is close to Rs 1,750 crores. We aim to double the revenue by 2025.