According to the Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, the International Telecommunication Union Radio communication Sector (ITU-R) recommendation M.2160, titled “Framework and overall objectives of the future development of International mobile telecommunications (IMT) for 2030 and beyond,” outlines the vision for 6G or IMT-2030 and the roadmap for rollout of 6G Technology by 2030. This recommendation envisions IMT-2030 to provide enhanced capabilities compared to 5G, as well as new capabilities to support the expanded usage scenarios of IMT-2030.
Additionally, the government released the Bharat 6G vision document in March 2023 with the objectives to design, develop and deploy 6G network technologies that provide ubiquitous, intelligent and secure connectivity for a high-quality living experience, while positioning India as a global leader in 6G technology by 2030. The advantages of 6G over 5G include higher data speeds and reduced latency, integration of communication and sensing capabilities, seamless coverage via terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks, artificial intelligence (AI) native networks, among others.
The Government has taken the following initiatives to facilitate the development of 6G technology in the country:
· Established 100 5G labs at academic institutions across India for capacity building and for creating a 6G-ready academic and start-up ecosystem in the country.
· The Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF) scheme was launched on October 01, 2022. The scheme aims to fund research and development and innovation in telecom technologies including 6G, fostering collaboration between academia, start-ups, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME), research institutes, and industry to enhance the telecom ecosystem in India. A total of 104 projects related to 6G technology amounting to Rs 2.75 billion have been approved under the TTDF scheme till July 31, 2025.
· The Government has also facilitated the setting up of the Bharat 6G Alliance, an alliance of domestic industry, academia, national research institutions and standards organisations to develop an action plan according to the Bharat 6G vision. Moreover, it has signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) with leading global 6G alliances to enhance international collaborations for the development of 6G wireless technologies.
· As part of the national mission on interdisciplinary cyber-physical systems (NM-ICPS), a technology innovation hub (TIH) has been established at the International Institute of Information Technology, Bangalore (IIITB) Comet Foundation, hosted by the IIITB. This TIH is dedicated to advancing research and innovation in the technology vertical “Advanced communication systems,” currently focusing on cutting-edge technologies such as reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) and advanced open radio access network (O-RAN) massive multiple input multiple output (MIMO) systems, with the objective of enhancing coverage, capacity, and integrated sensing capabilities in future 6G networks.
