ITI Limited

ITI Limited, formerly Indian Telephone Industries Limited, is a central public sector undertaking associated with the development, manufacture, deployment, and support of telecommunications and information and communications technology equipment in India. Its origins date to 1948, when it began as a departmental factory. The enterprise was incorporated as a public company in 1950 and became one of the institutional foundations of India’s domestic telecommunications manufacturing capability. ITI’s historical role has been closely connected with the expansion and modernization of India’s communications infrastructure. Its activities have covered switching systems, transmission equipment, access systems, subscriber-premises equipment, mobile-network equipment, electronic manufacturing, smart-card processing, and related information-technology products. The company combines manufacturing with engineering, technology absorption, indigenous product development, research and development, customer support, and nationwide marketing. This combination reflects its traditional role as both a supplier to public telecommunications programs and a participant in broader government technology and infrastructure initiatives. The company operates manufacturing and assembly facilities at Bengaluru, Naini, Mankapur, Raebareli, Palakkad, and Srinagar. These sites have supported different parts of the portfolio. The Mankapur and Raebareli facilities have produced GSM mobile equipment, with the stated capacity to supply more than nine million lines per year for domestic and overseas markets. The Palakkad unit has been associated with data-handling activities, smart-card assembly and personalization, printed-circuit-board and electronic manufacturing, high-density polyethylene pipe production, smart energy meters, and microcomputing equipment connected with Smart City Mission-related applications. ITI has also expanded beyond conventional telephone equipment into network management systems, encryption, internet-connectivity networking, and secure communications systems and equipment for defence applications. Its capabilities therefore span telecommunications access and transport, electronics assembly, information technology, secure communications, and selected public-sector digital infrastructure products. The company’s countrywide marketing and customer-support network is intended to support deployments across India, while its manufacturing base gives it a role in domestic sourcing and public procurement. A major recent project was the contract signed with the Defence sector on 1 October 2020 for implementation of the ASCON Phase-IV project. The project was reported with a value of ₹7,796 crore and represents ITI’s participation in strategic communications infrastructure rather than only commercial telecom manufacturing. The assignment illustrates the company’s continuing repositioning toward large government, defence, secure-network, and national-infrastructure programs. ITI remains owned by the Department of Telecommunications under India’s Ministry of Communications. The company reported 1,368 employees as of 1 April 2025 in the referenced material. Its present identity is consequently that of a state-owned technology and communications-infrastructure enterprise with a legacy in telephone manufacturing and a broader portfolio covering telecom networks, electronic manufacturing, secure communications, smart infrastructure, and defence-related systems.

ITI Limited traces its origins to 1948, when it was established as a departmental factory to support India’s emerging telecommunications requirements. It was incorporated as a public company in 1950. The enterprise subsequently became a central public sector undertaking under the Department of Telecommunications in the Ministry of Communications, Government of India. The company’s early institutional purpose was to build domestic capacity for telephone and communications equipment. Over time, its manufacturing scope developed beyond basic telephone products to include switching, transmission, access, and subscriber-premises equipment. ITI also developed the ability to assemble and manufacture electronic systems, absorb external technologies, and undertake indigenous product development through in-house research and development. Its nationwide marketing and customer-support structure enabled it to participate in telecommunications deployments across India. ITI’s manufacturing network became distributed across several locations. Facilities at Bengaluru, Naini, Mankapur, Raebareli, Palakkad, and Srinagar have supported different product and engineering activities. The Mankapur and Raebareli units have produced GSM mobile equipment, with a stated combined supply capacity exceeding nine million lines per year for Indian and foreign markets. This represented a shift from the company’s earlier fixed-telephone manufacturing role toward mobile and network-era telecommunications equipment. The Palakkad unit broadened the company’s activities into data handling, smart-card assembly and personalization, printed-circuit-board and electronic manufacturing, high-density polyethylene pipes, smart energy meters, and microcomputing equipment associated with smart-city applications. In parallel, ITI developed or supplied information and communications technology systems including network management, encryption, internet-connectivity networking, and secure communications equipment for defence requirements. The company’s role in public infrastructure continued into the 2020s. On 1 October 2020, ITI signed a Defence contract to implement the ASCON Phase-IV project. The reported contract value was ₹7,796 crore. The project demonstrated the company’s participation in strategic communications infrastructure and its movement toward larger government and defence technology programs in addition to conventional telecom manufacturing. As described in the referenced material, ITI continues to operate six manufacturing facilities, supported by electronic assembly and mechanical manufacturing capabilities, customer-support centres, nationwide marketing, and in-house research and development. The company reported 1,368 employees as of 1 April 2025. Its contemporary business identity combines its historic telecommunications-manufacturing mandate with secure networking, electronic manufacturing, smart-infrastructure products, ICT systems, and defence communications.

• 2025

  Reported workforce

  [1]ITI Limiteden.wikipedia.org

  The company was reported to have 1,368 employees as of 1 April 2025.

• 2020

  ASCON Phase-IV defence contract

  [1]ITI Limiteden.wikipedia.org

  On 1 October, ITI signed a contract with the Defence sector to implement the ASCON Phase-IV project, reported at ₹7,796 crore.

• 1950

  Incorporated as a public company

  [1]ITI Limiteden.wikipedia.org

  The enterprise was incorporated as Indian Telephone Industries Limited, formalizing its role as a public-sector telecommunications manufacturer.

• 1948

  Established as a departmental factory

  [1]ITI Limiteden.wikipedia.org

  The organization was founded as a departmental factory to support India’s telecommunications manufacturing needs.

A government-owned Indian telecommunications and ICT infrastructure manufacturer serving public-sector, defence, network, and smart-infrastructure requirements through domestic manufacturing, engineering, technology development, and nationwide support.

• Mobile telecommunications infrastructure

  GSM mobile equipment

  ITI manufactures GSM mobile equipment at its Mankapur and Raebareli facilities. These sites are described as having capacity to supply more than nine million lines per year for domestic and international markets, extending the company’s portfolio from traditional fixed-line telecommunications into mobile-network infrastructure.

• Telecommunications infrastructure

  Telecommunications switching, transmission, and access equipment

  These product families represent ITI’s core telecommunications manufacturing activities. They include systems used for switching communications traffic, transmitting network signals, providing access connectivity, and supporting subscriber premises. The portfolio reflects the company’s long-standing role in Indian telephone and network infrastructure.

• Electronic manufacturing services

  Smart cards and electronic manufacturing

  The Palakkad unit handles smart-card assembly and personalization as well as printed-circuit-board and broader electronic manufacturing activities. These capabilities allow ITI to support data-handling and customized electronics requirements in addition to manufacturing complete telecommunications systems.

• Defence and ICT systems

  Secure communications and network systems

  ITI produces or supports ICT equipment such as network management systems, encryption systems, internet-connectivity networking, and secure communications networks and equipment for defence applications. This group positions the company in strategic and protected communications infrastructure.

• Smart infrastructure electronics

  Smart energy meters and microcomputing equipment

  The company’s Palakkad activities include smart energy meters and microcomputing equipment associated with Smart City Mission applications. These products broaden ITI’s public-sector technology portfolio into connected urban infrastructure and utility-related electronics.

• 2020

  Commitment to ASCON Phase-IV implementationOther

  Background

  The Defence sector required implementation of the ASCON Phase-IV strategic communications project.

  Action taken

  ITI Limited signed the implementation contract on 1 October 2020. The reported contract value was ₹7,796 crore.

  Aftermath

  The contract strengthened ITI’s role in defence communications and large government infrastructure programs.

  Reported contract value. ₹7,796 crore (2020)

  Source

• 2020

  ITI Limited signs contract for ASCON Phase-IV implementation[1]ITI Limiteden.wikipedia.org

  Other

  ITI Limited signed a contract with the Defence sector on 1 October 2020 to implement the ASCON Phase-IV project, reported at a value of ₹7,796 crore.

1. 1ITI Limiteden.wikipedia.org
2. 2Revival of Indian Telephone Industries at Bangalorepib.gov.in