Tata Communications and RailTel Corporation of India Ltd. have entered into a strategic association to jointly advance next-generation digital infrastructure and reinforce India’s digital backbone for AI-led services.
RailTel operates one of India’s largest neutral telecom networks, with more than 63,000 route km of optical fibre connecting cities, towns, rural regions, and over 6,000 railway stations. As a Navaratna PSU, it provides ICT services to government departments, public sector organisations, banks, educational institutions, and enterprises nationwide.
Under the association, RailTel’s national fibre footprint will integrate with Tata Communications’ global digital infrastructure, including international networks, cloud platforms, omnichannel communication systems, and cybersecurity capabilities.
Key Focus Areas
The collaboration is intended to:
- Modernise network infrastructure
- Strengthen cybersecurity frameworks
- Improve digital service delivery and user experience
- Enable secure and sovereign cloud adoption for sensitive workloads
- Deploy AI-enabled platforms to enhance visibility, reliability, and operational performance
Expected Impact Across Sectors
- Ministries, state governments, PSUs, and enterprises using RailTel’s network may benefit from improved connectivity
- Higher network resilience across public and enterprise systems
- Stronger data protection safeguards
- Better performance for railway Wi-Fi services
- Improved reliability of public broadband networks
- Enhanced stability of surveillance systems
- Smoother functioning of digital governance platforms
For RailTel, the association is expected to strengthen its ability to deliver advanced services across data centres, managed services, cloud, and cybersecurity. For Tata Communications, it enables the extension of its digital infrastructure into critical public and enterprise environments at national scale.
The collaboration combines RailTel’s nationwide physical network and public sector experience with Tata Communications’ digital capabilities to support large-scale digital operations in India.
Speaking on the collaboration, Sanjai Kumar, Chairman & MD, RailTel, said:
RailTel has consistently played a foundational role in connecting India. The collaboration with Tata Communications enables us to further strengthen that role by bringing advanced capabilities that will help our customers modernise their systems, enhance resilience and serve citizens more efficiently. Together, we are building a more reliable and future-ready digital backbone for the country.
Commenting on the collaboration, Sumeet Walia, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, Tata Communications, added:
As India transitions from digital adoption to AI leadership, our collaboration with RailTel is strengthening the backbone for a secure, smart, and sovereign future. By delivering robust, AI-ready infrastructure from the core to the edge, we are enabling a resilient India. Together with RailTel, we aim to innovate with confidence, ensuring the technology of tomorrow becomes a reality for every citizen today.