India is aggressively pursuing its 6G ambitions, with the government actively reviewing progress and emphasizing hardware-led innovation to secure a leading position in the next generation of telecommunications. Minister of State (MoS) for Communications, Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, recently reviewed the Bharat 6G Mission, a flagship initiative focused on developing indigenous 6G technology. The review encompassed advancements in research and development, collaborations with academic and industry partners, and planned deployment timelines.
The Bharat 6G Vision, launched on March 23, 2023, outlines India's strategy to design, develop, and deploy 6G technologies by 2030. The vision aims for India to contribute significantly to the global 6G ecosystem through indigenous innovation, research and development, and international collaboration. It is built upon the principles of affordability, sustainability, and ubiquity, with the goal of empowering society through widespread access to advanced technology.
Pemmasani highlighted the importance of 6G for India, emphasizing its potential to enable intelligent, secure, and ultra-reliable applications in sectors like remote healthcare, smart agriculture, and precision manufacturing. 6G is expected to facilitate innovative applications such as real-time sensing, AI-driven networks, and terabit-category speeds.
India's approach to 6G is fundamentally use-case driven, prioritizing solutions that address societal needs in sectors like agriculture, healthcare, and logistics. This strategy is particularly relevant for India's diverse population, where connectivity gaps persist in rural areas. The focus is on ensuring that 6G delivers tangible benefits to underserved communities, acting as a platform for transformation.
A key aspect of India's 6G vision is the emphasis on AI-native radio access networks (RAN), where artificial intelligence is a foundational design element. AI will be embedded throughout the network, enabling dynamic spectrum allocation, predictive maintenance, and real-time optimization of resources. This reflects India's strengths in software and data science, positioning the country to play a key role in intelligent network design.
India is also prioritizing the development of indigenous hardware for 6G. This includes focusing on frequency range 3 (FR3) bands, which balance performance and coverage, making them suitable for India's diverse geography and demographics. This strategy aims to ensure ubiquitous coverage, serving both urban centers and remote villages. The government is funding over 100 R&D proposals through the Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF) and other mechanisms. These efforts align with the goal of achieving technological self-reliance and strengthening digital infrastructure.
The Bharat 6G Alliance, a collaborative platform involving industry, academia, and startups, has formed global partnerships with countries like Japan, Singapore, and Finland. These collaborations focus on aligning research and development priorities, developing secure and trusted telecommunications, strengthening supply chains, and enabling global digital inclusion.
India aims to secure a significant share (10%) of global Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) in 6G, develop indigenous products, and deploy affordable solutions. By promoting innovation, collaboration, and self-reliance, India is transitioning from a technology adopter to a global innovator and standard-setter in the telecom sector. The commercialization of 6G networks is expected around 2030, and India is determined to be among the leading nations shaping this next-generation technology.
