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Emerging communications technology
Communications technology is moving in two directions at once. Signals are increasingly carried as light rather than as current, which is what photonics is, and radio links are increasingly made between machines rather than between people. India is backing the first with capital support for photonics fabs under Semicon 2.0, and mandating the second, with vehicle-to-vehicle communication set to become compulsory in new vehicles from October 2028.
Carrying signals as light
- An optical fibre carries light by total internal reflection, because the refractive index of the glass core is higher than that of the cladding.
- An optical transceiver converts electrical signals into light and back, which is where a fibre link meets the electronics at each end.
Radio between machines rather than people
On Board Unit
Each vehicle's unit sends its speed, position, direction and acceleration
C-V2X radio
Reaches vehicles within about 300 metres in the 5.875 to 5.925 GHz band, exempted from licensing by the Department of Telecommunications
Alert
Warns of hazards beyond line of sight, which camera based advanced driver assistance systems cannot do
What has happened
9 Sep 2026
Indian firms formed the India Photonics Association as demand from artificial intelligence data centres grew.
- The association says many of the components the industry uses are still imported.
- Photonics fabs are eligible for up to 35 per cent capital support under Semicon 2.0.
The Hindu, 9 Sep 2026: India photonics industry forms association amid AI boom (opens in a new tab) · The Indian Express, 1 Sep 2026: Semicon 2.0: What is India's Rs 1.27 lakh-crore push for chip design? (opens in a new tab)
1 Sep 2026
The draft Central Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Rules, 2026 would make vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication compulsory in new vehicles made on or after 1 October 2028.
- A vehicle that carries V2V must meet Automotive Industry Standard 230 (AIS-230) from 1 October 2027.
- The mandate covers two and three wheelers, cars, buses and goods vehicles, against 1.83 lakh road deaths in 2025.
- Concerns remain over location data security, band capacity and crashes caused by miscommunication.