For nearly two decades, India’s transport modernisation efforts have focused mainly on expanding physical infrastructure such as wider highways, expressways, flyovers, toll systems and urban traffic management projects. While these developments improved connectivity, they have not been enough to address the increasing complexity of India’s mobility challenges.
The pressure on the transport system has grown with rising vehicle density, urbanisation and the digitisation of logistics networks. India recorded more than 173,000 road fatalities in 2023, making road accidents one of the country’s biggest public safety concerns. Further, urban congestion continues to worsen despite continuous road expansion, while inefficiencies in freight movement continue to affect economic productivity and supply chain efficiency.
The government is also investing heavily in smart cities, electric mobility, 5G infrastructure, AI-enabled governance systems and intelligent logistics corridors. These developments have gradually shifted the policy discussion beyond physical infrastructure and raised a bigger question of how to turn roads into intelligent communication networks capable of supporting safer and more efficient transport systems.
This question lies at the centre of vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication technology. V2X enables vehicles to exchange real-time information with nearby vehicles, roadside infrastructure, pedestrians, traffic systems, emergency services and telecom networks. The ecosystem includes vehicle-to-vehicle, vehicle-to-infrastructure, vehicle-to-pedestrian and vehicle-to-network communication systems. These technologies support applications such as collision avoidance, traffic optimisation, emergency alerts, adaptive traffic signalling, and eventually autonomous or semi-autonomous driving systems.
Background
Globally, interest in V2X accelerated between 2019 and 2024 as several countries, including the US, China, South Korea and parts of Europe, started moving from older dedicated short-range communication (DSRC)-based systems towards cellular V2X (C-V2X) frameworks integrated with 4G and 5G networks. India’s policy approach evolved during the same period.
In January 2023, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) released a report on V2X/intelligent transport systems (ITS) policy formulation, examining spectrum and technology frameworks for ITS. This was followed by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways setting up a task force in September 2024 to examine deployment strategies and technical frameworks for connected mobility in India. A major policy development came in May 2025, when the task force submitted Part 1 of its report recommending cellular V2X as the harmonised technology framework for India’s ITS ecosystem. The task force also recommended scalable pilot deployments in urban centres and select national highways before large-scale nationwide roll-out.
Following the task force’s recommendations, DoT, in December 2025, referred the matter to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), seeking recommendations on spectrum assignment, pricing and authorisation mechanisms for V2X deployment. The consultation paper released by TRAI in April 2026 therefore marks India’s first major attempt to create a regulatory framework for connected mobility infrastructure.
Key issues raised in the consultation paper
Spectrum harmonisation
One of the key issues raised in the consultation paper is the allocation of spectrum for V2X services in the 5.9 GHz band. Globally, this band has been widely identified for ITS because it supports low-latency communication required for real-time vehicle connectivity. The International Telecommunication Union has recommended the 5850-5925 MHz range, or parts of it, for ITS applications. India has proposed assigning 30 MHz within the 5875-5905 MHz band for the initial roll-out of V2X services. Under the proposal, 30 MHz would be used for initial deployment, while the remaining 20 MHz may be reserved for future ITS applications and evolving standards.
However, the larger issue is not just allocation, but the amount of spectrum that should be reserved at this stage. Several countries have struggled with this question. In the US, the entire 75 MHz band was reserved for DSRC-based transport systems for years. But because deployment remained limited, the Federal Communications Commission restructured the band in 2020, reallocating a significant portion for unlicensed Wi-Fi use while retaining only 30 MHz for ITS and C-V2X applications.
Under the proposal, 30 MHz (5875-5905 MHz) would be used for initial deployment, with the remaining 20 MHz reserved for future ITS applications and evolving standards. The consultation therefore raises an important policy question of whether India should reserve additional spectrum now for future connected mobility systems or wait until commercial deployment scales up further. This decision will directly affect long-term deployment costs and future network expansion. Limited spectrum allocation today may create migration challenges later, while excessive reservation at an early stage could lead to underutilisation, as seen in earlier DSRC deployments globally.
DSRC to C-V2X
Another important issue highlighted in the consultation paper is India’s shift from DSRC technology to C-V2X. Earlier ITS deployments in several countries were based on DSRC because it enabled direct communication between vehicles and roadside infrastructure without depending on telecom networks. Unlike DSRC, C-V2X works closely with existing telecom infrastructure. Along with direct vehicle communication, it can support cloud connectivity, real-time traffic analytics, software updates, predictive mobility systems and integration with future 5G-based applications.
India’s policy direction is increasingly favouring C-V2X, which is also linked to its broader digital infrastructure push. With large investments already being made in 5G networks, fibre deployment, smart cities and digital public infrastructure, a C-V2X-based framework allows transport systems to develop alongside telecom networks instead of operating as a separate ecosystem.
This shift also raises regulatory concerns. As mobility systems become more dependent on telecom infrastructure, telecom operators are likely to play a much larger role in connected transport services. This creates an important policy question within the consultation: whether V2X should be treated mainly as a transport technology or as part of the telecom ecosystem itself. The answer will influence future licensing models, infrastructure ownership, security responsibilities and the overall governance structure for connected mobility services in India.
OBU and RSU regulations
A significant issue discussed is the regulatory treatment of on-board units (OBUs) and roadside units (RSUs). OBUs are communication devices installed inside vehicles that allow them to exchange information with nearby vehicles, roadside infrastructure and networks. Meanwhile, RSUs are fixed communication systems deployed across highways, junctions, toll plazas, urban corridors and other transport infrastructure points.
The consultation suggests that OBUs could operate under largely license-exempt conditions, which is consistent with global practices. This approach is practical because individually licensing millions of vehicle-mounted devices would be difficult and commercially inefficient. However, RSUs are being treated differently because they function as fixed communication infrastructure operating within public spaces.
These systems are expected to interact continuously with telecom networks, traffic management platforms, emergency services and smart city infrastructure. As a result, the consultation raises a broader governance question for the responsibility for deploying and operating RSUs. A stricter authorisation framework could improve coordination, spectrum management and interoperability. However, overly complex licensing procedures may slow investments and delay infrastructure rollout during the early stages of deployment.
Spectrum pricing and deployment costs
Unlike traditional telecom spectrum used for commercial mobile services, V2X networks are closely linked to public safety, traffic efficiency and transport infrastructure. Because of this, many countries have avoided adopting aggressive auction-based pricing models for ITS.
If spectrum charges are kept too high, the cost of deploying V2X infrastructure could increase significantly, especially for highway operators, public transport agencies and city-level infrastructure projects. High costs may slow down deployment at a stage where the ecosystem is still developing. Parallelly, very low pricing also creates challenges. Weak pricing frameworks can lead to inefficient spectrum usage, fragmented deployment models or speculative participation without serious long-term infrastructure investment. The consultation therefore attempts to strike a balance between affordable deployment and efficient spectrum management.
Telecom operators vs automotive companies
Under older DSRC-based systems, vehicle communication technologies could function mostly independently of telecom networks. But with the shift towards C-V2X, that has started changing. Connected mobility systems now depend heavily on 4G and 5G networks, cloud connectivity and low-latency communication infrastructure. This naturally gives telecom operators a bigger role in the ecosystem. For telecom companies, V2X is not just another automotive technology. It is being seen as part of a larger digital infrastructure layer connected to transport networks, smart cities, logistics systems and future mobility services. Automotive companies are also expanding beyond their traditional role of manufacturing vehicles. Globally, carmakers are increasingly focusing on connected and software-based services such as remote software updates, connected vehicle platforms, predictive diagnostics and autonomous driving technologies. This creates an important policy issue.
The consultation indirectly reflects that telecom operators may prefer a framework where V2X services are regulated more like telecom infrastructure because the system depends heavily on licensed spectrum and network connectivity. Automotive companies, however, are likely to push for a more flexible approach that allows faster deployment and fewer regulatory restrictions.
This matters because V2X is expected to go much beyond basic vehicle communication in the future. Over time, these systems could become important for traffic management, logistics planning, autonomous mobility and smart city operations.
The way forward
The TRAI consultation on V2X comes at a time when India’s transport and digital infrastructure systems are becoming increasingly connected. V2X can no longer be treated only as an automotive issue. Its implementation will depend on telecom infrastructure, spectrum policy and coordination between multiple agencies and industries.
This is where the bigger challenge lies. If deployment begins without a clear and coordinated framework, different systems may start developing independently across cities, highways, telecom networks and vehicle platforms. Once that happens, creating interoperability later will become far more difficult and expensive. India still has the advantage of being at a relatively early stage of deployment. This gives policymakers an opportunity to create a more harmonised framework before large-scale commercial roll-out begins.
In the long run, V2X is expected to become an important part of India’s larger digital infrastructure ecosystem linked to transport, logistics, smart cities and future mobility services.
Harshita Kalra
