D2M and indigenous semiconductors signal India's deep-tech breakthrough: Tejas Networks EVP

New Delhi [India], October 9 (ANI): Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) technology and indigenously designed semiconductors are poised to become India's next strategic leap in the deep-tech space, Parag Balwant Naik, Executive Vice President - Silicon and Broadcast System & Satcom at Tejas Networks, formerly Saankhya Labs told ANI today.

"D2M is the first deep-tech technology stack coming entirely out of India," Naik said. "It has been in development for nearly eight years, with multiple trials conducted in Bengaluru and ongoing pilots in Delhi. The technology has now matured to a point where it's ready for deployment," he said on the sidelines of India Mobile Congress in New Delhi.

Naik described D2M as India's first fully Swadeshi deep-tech platform, developed end-to-end with indigenous hardware, software, and chipsets--marking a significant milestone in the country's quest for self-reliance in next-generation communications technology.

D2M, or Direct-to-Mobile broadcasting, enables multimedia content to be transmitted directly to mobile devices using broadcast frequencies, without consuming mobile data or requiring internet connectivity. This holds enormous potential in a country like India, especially for rural and underserved areas where mobile networks are patchy and data is expensive.

At the core of this breakthrough lies India's first homegrown fabless semiconductor design capability.

According to Naik, the company has built three generations of chipsets, based on sophisticated software-defined radio (SDR) architectures and digital signal processing (DSP). These chipsets power both the handset and infrastructure ends of the D2M ecosystem.

"This is not just about software or apps," he noted. "These are complete silicon systems, designed and developed in India, forming the backbone of a technology platform with national-scale implications."

Tejas Networks, through its legacy at Saankhya Labs, has long advocated for a convergence of broadcast, cellular, and satellite technologies. The D2M platform is a natural extension of this vision. While satellite TV via platforms like Doordarshan's FreeDish is already widely used across rural India, D2M will enable the same content to be received seamlessly on mobile phones and other personal devices--without relying on mobile broadband networks.

Naik stressed that this convergence will become increasingly important as India prepares for 6G and future satellite-based connectivity.

"The 5G is still rolling out, and 6G is in early standardisation stages," he said. "But this time, unlike 4G and 5G, we're ahead in building the tech stack. Academia, startups, and companies like us are already contributing to early development."

Naik also emphasised India's progress in satellite communication systems, particularly in collaboration with ISRO. For over a decade, the company has worked with the space agency to build real-world applications in Satcom--ranging from fishermen safety networks to train tracking systems for Indian Railways.

"India is already ahead in Satcom and broadcast applications," he said. "With D2M as the first indigenous deep-tech deployment, we are well positioned to lead globally in 6G and satellite convergence over the next five to ten years."

From a strategic and commercial standpoint, D2M also offers massive potential to reduce mobile network congestion, deliver public service content efficiently, and open up new monetisation models for broadcasters, telecom operators, and infrastructure providers.

While a commercial rollout timeline for D2M is yet to be officially announced, the technology's maturity and successful field trials point to its readiness for mass adoption.

For an industry long dependent on imported semiconductors and telecom hardware, this signals not just a technological milestone--but a turning point in India's deep-tech capabilities. (ANI)

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