NEW DELHI:  HFCL has joined a strategic research consortium led by Indian Institute of Technology Delhi to develop cutting-edge hollow-core fibre (HCF) technology, a breakthrough expected to significantly enhance high-speed data transmission for future telecom and digital infrastructure.

The collaboration brings together leading academic and industry stakeholders to accelerate indigenous innovation in optical communications. Hollow-core fibre, which guides light through an air-filled core rather than solid glass, offers ultra-low latency, higher bandwidth, reduced signal loss and improved energy efficiency compared to conventional fibre, making it critical for next-generation applications such as 5G/6G, hyperscale data centres, AI workloads and quantum communications.

HFCL’s participation will focus on design, fabrication, testing and eventual commercialisation of the technology, strengthening India’s push for self-reliance in advanced telecom and networking solutions. The initiative is also aligned with the country’s broader vision of building a robust domestic ecosystem for future-ready digital infrastructure.

By combining IIT Delhi’s deep research expertise with HFCL’s manufacturing and deployment capabilities, the consortium aims to translate lab-scale innovation into real-world deployment, positioning India among the global leaders in next-generation optical fibre technologies.

The development of hollow-core fibre is expected to play a transformative role in enabling high-capacity, low-latency networks, supporting emerging digital services and the exponential growth in data consumption.