Cisco will partner with ILFS Technologies (ITL) to jointly develop 
solutions for digital infrastructure and smart cities in India. The collaboration, announced at the Cisco India Summit 2014 in Bengaluru, will aim to create solutions for traffic management, public safety and e-governance
The collaboration between Cisco and ITL will focus on bringing together the best-in-class, complementary capabilities of both companies. Cisco’s vision of the Internet of Everything, which is the intelligent connection of people, processes, data, and things, is already revolutionizing the way our cities operate, creating a more dynamic digital economy and also bringing new, richer experiences to citizens. IL&FS’s deep expertise in infrastructure development in India along with ITL’s excellent technology services capabilities strongly complements Cisco IoE architecture and robust vertical solutions.
The Digital India program of the government is focused on the digital empowerment of citizens, where infrastructure would be offered as a utility to every citizen, governance and services would be on demand, and citizens would be digitally empowered. The Digital India program aims to enable broadband in villages, universal phone connectivity, public Internet access points, public Wi-Fi in schools and universities, digital inclusion, electronic delivery of governance and services, and job creation.
Cisco’s vision of Smart+Connected Communities, which enables the transformation of physical communities into connected communities, has been embraced by more than 90 global greenfield and brownfield projects and includes the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor in India, where Cisco is developing the ICT master plan for four pilot cities in the US$90 billion flagship public sector infrastructure project.
By 2050 India will add 404 million people to its cities, according to the United Nations, while today at 857 million people, India has the largest rural population in the world. Cisco and ITL will collaborate to enable the delivery of cost-effective and efficient citizen services to urban and rural communities. The collaboration will focus on developing IoE based digital solutions for smart cities, smart villages and the infrastructure sector. Cisco and ITL will pursue joint go-to-market opportunities in India and other countries as required.
Cisco and ITL recognize the unprecedented value to be created in the way in which many services, such as outdoor lighting, parking, mobility services, beacons, kiosks, location-based services, sensor-based water defences, physical infrastructure monitoring and controls, and smart energy grid services, are digitized. The joint digital solutions will use intelligent networks to transform the way cities and communities are designed, built and renewed as well as enable digitally empowered citizens through the availability of government services in real time, online and on mobile platforms. Cisco and ITL will embrace IoE strategies in existing solutions and radical new solutions to digitize the infrastructure sector, smart cities and smart villages in India.
Prem Saigal, Chairman, ITL, said, “We are pleased to collaborate with Cisco on the Internet of Everything to develop world-class solutions for India’s infrastructure sector and smart cities. We believe that ITL’s deep expertise in this space combined with Cisco’s Internet of Everything vision can help digitize India’s infrastructure sector and smart cities. There is a transformational opportunity to create world class infrastructure, build smart cities and digitally empower our citizens.”
Durga Prasad, CEO, ITL said, “In a digital India, there will be a transformation in the delivery of citizen services. Our collaboration with Cisco will bring the power of the Internet of Everything to greenfield and brownfield cities, communities and rural communities in India. Together we can enable digital solutions for the most essential citizen services such as healthcare and education.”
Dinesh Malkani, President, Sales, Cisco India and SAARC, “We are very pleased to collaborate with ITL and develop digital solutions for the infrastructure sector and smart cities in India. Today, only 1 per cent of all the things that surround us are connected to the network. In India every day an average of 275,000 devices will be connected to the network. Our vision of the Internet of Everything is that we will live in a world where everything—and everyone—can be connected to everything else. We have the opportunity to embrace the Internet of Everything and help enable a digital India. By enabling a digitized economy we hope to enable safer streets, smarter homes and healthier and better-educated citizens. The Internet of Everything will change how we work by delivering more information, better decisions and increased economic value.”
Anil Menon, Cisco Deputy Chief Globalisation Officer and President, Smart+Connected Communities, said, “India has benefited tremendously from two major industry shifts – the globalisation of IT services and the globalisation of engineering services. We believe the next major wave of growth for India will be the globalisation of urban services, which is a $3 trillion opportunity worldwide. The unprecedented growth in connectivity, data and broadband access has set the stage for India to play a transformational role in this upcoming industry. Together with ITL we believe we can make India a Living Lab for urban services that will galvanize innovative thinking into defining and building the next iteration of our cities worldwide. Through our joint efforts, we can play an integral role in helping India become an exporter of global urban services such as traffic or water management to the world. Imagine the economic engine of prosperity we could unleash through new ways of sharing information, extending learning, distributing expertise and resources, accommodating needs and addressing challenges.”
