Complex System Design Is Key to Navigating the Evolving Tech Ecosystem: Sadaf Arif Siddiqui, Keysight

In a conversation with Kumar Harshit, Technology Correspondent, ELE Times, Sadaf Arif Siddiqui, Director Marketing, Keysight Technologies India, shares his perspective on the latest developments in India’s electronics and telecom sectors. He discusses how advanced design validation and other technologies are gaining traction in product development. Further, the conversation also touches upon India’s position in the upcoming 6G technology and how unprecedented challenges are awaiting us. 

The conversation moves further to touch upon certain technical aspects of testing in aerospace and defense, along with the simultaneous growth being exhibited by various industries in India. 

Here are the excerpts from the interview: 

ELE Times: India is increasingly positioning itself as a design-led electronics ecosystem rather than a manufacturing-only hub. From your perspective, how is this shift changing the role of advanced design validation and emulation in development cycles? 

S.A Siddiqui: This shift is reshaping how companies approach product development from the ground up. Today, the focus is firmly on establishing a fully integrated, end-to-end workflow that seamlessly spans the entire product lifecycle — from initial design and prototyping to rigorous validation and ultimately, full-scale manufacturing. In addition, strong policy support led by the government and a deep pool of engineering talent are collectively enabling the country to move beyond pure manufacturing and into high-value innovation and product ownership. A key example of this momentum is the government’s push toward self-reliance under initiatives such as Make in India. This effort is encouraging growth across sectors, including telecom, automotive, aerospace and defense, semiconductors, and electronics. 

With these shifts, the role of design validation and emulation has become extremely critical. The technologies driving this innovation are only getting more complicated, and at the same time, there is growing pressure to launch products faster. In this environment, adopting advanced design validation as early as possible in the development cycle will give companies a competitive edge. 

ELE Times: India has begun early conversations around 6G and non-terrestrial networks. What new testing challenges do these next-generation technologies introduce compared to 5G? 

S.A Siddiqui India is positioning itself as an active contributor to 6G research and standardization, with several academic institutions, government research bodies, and the Ministry of Communications already engaged in exploratory programs to define India’s role in shaping 6G and non-terrestrial network (NTN) technologies. 

5G primarily focused on enhanced mobile broadband, ultra-low latency, and high throughput. Whereas 6G and NTNs significantly expand the scope and are leveraging AI and communication to extend connectivity beyond terrestrial boundaries and into space through satellite networks. In terms of spectrum, 6G is projected to move beyond millimeter wave and into sub-terahertz (sub-THz) frequency bands. 

This entirely changes the concept of testing in 6G. NTNs present challenges, the first being that satellite-based equipment, once deployed, is largely inaccessible. The technology also needs to operate in extremely harsh environments with temperature fluctuations and radiation. There are also challenges around frequency conditions, latency and doppler shifts. At the same time, energy efficiency is also a central pillar of 6G system design. Together, these requirements make 6G testing far more multidimensional than previous generations, demanding greater precision and accuracy under harsher conditions. As a result, over-the-air testing is growing in importance so developers can validate systems with the accuracy they need.   

ELE Times: With vehicles becoming increasingly software-defined, how important is cross-domain validation — combining RF, digital, power electronics, and cybersecurity testing?

S.A Siddiqui: Cross-domain validation has become absolutely critical as the automotive industry evolves. Modern vehicles integrate a dense network of electronic control units (ECUs), sensors, high-speed digital interfaces, connectivity modules, and power electronics. This convergence of multiple domains means that validation can no longer occur in isolated silos. Instead, it must address the full system-level interaction between RF, digital, power, and software layers—particularly given the stringent safety, reliability, and regulatory requirements governing the automotive sector.

ELE  Times: In aerospace and defence applications, testing is often mission-critical. How is the need for high-fidelity emulation and secure communications testing evolving in India?

S.A Siddiqui: Aerospace and Defense is one of the cornerstones of India’s ‘Make in India’ initiatives. This means all components should be developed in the country and fully integrated into the platform. As a result, validation and emulation are critical as every element needs to be deployed with extreme precision and accuracy. As India continues to push technology boundaries, testing needs are evolving, and this is a clear example. Every element, right from designing the first component through to the prototype and final product, must be tested in order to ensure precision. This also means testing under a wide set of conditions and environmental requirements.   

ELE Times: India is one of the few markets where telecom, automotive, semiconductors, defence, and AI are all scaling simultaneously. How does this convergence influence the demand for advanced testing ecosystems? 

S.A Siddiqui: India’s simultaneous scaling across multiple high-tech sectors creates a uniquely demanding environment for testing and validation. With the rapid development of technologies such as 5G/6G, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum initiatives, and defence systems, the country is not only meeting domestic requirements but also positioning itself to compete on a global stage. This simultaneous growth across diverse sectors intensifies the need for integrated, high-performance testing ecosystems that can handle increasingly complex and interdependent technologies. 

The convergence of RF, digital, software, and security components across these domains means that testing can no longer be confined to individual components or isolated subsystems. Instead, advanced testing must address full system-level interactions, integrating hardware, software, and cybersecurity layers to ensure reliable performance under real-world conditions. Dynamic, repetitive testing platforms are now essential, enabling engineers to validate interoperability, functionality, and robustness before deployment. Technologies such as digital twins are playing a transformative role in this context. By creating virtual replicas of systems, engineers can simulate and validate complex behaviors in the lab, reducing risk and accelerating development cycles before field testing. 

ELE Times: Looking ahead 3–5 years, what will differentiate engineering organizations that succeed in complex system design from those that struggle?

S.A Siddiqui Over the next couple of years, the organizations that will excel in complex system design are those that can navigate a dynamic, rapidly evolving ecosystem while balancing immediate needs with future-facing innovation. Success will hinge on the ability to test as early as possible and throughout the entire development lifecycle – allowing organizations to improve speed to market, while still delivering on quality and meeting modern engineering challenges.