RailTel Corporation Signs MOU to Promote Indian Technology in South Africa and Adjacent Region

RailTel Corporation of India Ltd, a Mini Ratna PSU under the Ministry of Railways, has made a significant move to promote Indian technology and innovation in South Africa and the surrounding region. The company recently signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding with InoviTel (PTY) LTD and Tsiko Africa Energy & Infrastructure for Tsiko Group, aiming to explore opportunities in telecom, railways, and other IT/ICT businesses in South Africa.

The MOU covers the activation and commercialization of dark fiber along railway lines and high voltage transmission lines in South Africa. It also includes Railway Signal & Telecommunication solutions, Digital twin Modeling of Railway assets for predictive maintenance, and OFC based Distributed Acoustic System (DAS) for public and private rail operators within South Africa.

RailTel, known as one of the largest neutral telecom infrastructure providers in India, owns an extensive pan-India optic fiber network of over 61,000 route km, covering major metros, cities, and rural areas, reaching 70% of India’s population. InoviTel and Tsiko Africa Energy and Infrastructure, South Africa-based entities supported by the Tsiko Africa Group, are part of the South African Indo-Afro Business Association NPC.

The MOU was signed in Pretoria, South Africa, in the presence of Prabhat Kumar, High Commissioner of India to South Africa, and Mahesh Kumar, Consul General of India, Johannesburg. Parag Kumar Goyal, Principal Executive Director/Enterprise Business, RailTel, exchanged the MOU with Lavine Singh, CEO of InoviTel (PTY) LTD, and Pragasen Naidoo, CEO of Tsiko Africa Energy and Infrastructure (Pty) Ltd.

This collaboration signifies a step towards strengthening ties between India and South Africa in the field of technology and infrastructure development. It opens up new avenues for cooperation and innovation, benefiting both countries in the long run.