IIT-M Pravartak lab becomes India’s first to get nod for 5G core network security testing

CHENNAI: The IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation’s Telecom Security Testing Lab (TSTL) has become the first laboratory in the country authorised by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Government of India, to test 5G Core Network functions, including the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), and 5G Group-I Devices covering 21 core network functions under common security requirements.

The certification, granted by the National Centre for Communication Security (NCCS), empowers the lab to conduct comprehensive security assessments of 5G mobile telecom equipment, paving the way for the rapid rollout of secure and resilient 5G infrastructure across India.

Describing the milestone as a crucial step towards technological self-reliance, IIT Madras Director and IITM Pravartak Chairman, V Kamakoti, said, “This certification reduces our dependency on foreign testing laboratories, thereby strengthening national security and promoting indigenous capabilities.”

He added, “By bridging academia and industry, the certified TSTL fosters collaborative research and innovation, enabling IIT Madras Pravartak to develop secure telecom solutions tailored to India’s strategic needs.”

M J Shankar Raman, CEO of IITM Pravartak Technologies Foundation, said the certification validates India’s growing capacity in building robust and secure telecom infrastructure. “It underscores the lab’s vital role in ensuring the security and resilience of telecom networks through rigorous testing aligned with Indian Telecom Security Standards (ITSAR),” he noted.