Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Six months after launching 5G services in the communication sector, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday, unveiled India’s 6G mission to create a focused initiative for the next generation of technology in India.
India is set to roll out the 6G network by 2030.
Reports said he also unveiled the official 6G testbed project to facilitate research on new network techniques.
Inaugurating an event, PM Modi said India is the most connected democracy in the world, where 70 million e-authentications and 8 billion UPI transactions occur digitally every day.
The government has constituted a Bharat 6G project and appointed an apex panel to oversee it. After China, India is the second largest telecom market globally, with 1.2 billion digital subscribers.
In November 2021, the Centre formed a 22-member innovation group, headed by Telecom Secretary K Rajaraman, to design a vision for the 6G roadmap in India.
Opening up 6G airwaves is a part of India’s efforts to get a foothold in the global supply chain for emerging technologies like satellite and terrestrial communication gear and components.
The 6G testbed is being co-developed by a consortium of various Indian Institute of Technology (IITs), including those in Guwahati and Madras.
The project will provide an R&D platform to start-ups, researchers, industry, and other broadband wireless applications in India like e-governance, smart cities, rural broadband, or other Digital India initiatives under the Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) drive.
Launched in October 2022, India’s 5G deployment will soon cross lakhs of sites, Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, adding the average time needed to secure permissions for setting up telecom towers has drastically come down from 222 days to just seven days.
Given how 6G could serve as a convergence platform for satellite communication (satcom) and terrestrial networks, the Department of Telecommunication said that India is aiming to participate in global discussions, and currently working on setting 6G standards and pursuing technological innovations.
Modi also inaugurated the first Area Office & Innovation Centre of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) in India. ITU is the United Nations’ specialized agency for information and communication technologies (ICT). ITU’s Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin said that the new office will help ITU coordinate more with India and other regional countries.
“India is a role model in the digital revolution. The innovation center is in one of the world’s best hubs for cutting-edge innovation,” he said.
India recently won a vital segment of the elections at ITU’s Radio Regulations Board (RRB), a top body administering frequency allocation to nations and resolving disputes.
With a global focus on its telecom and digital industry, India is pushing for a greater say in the ongoing policymaking at the ITU, including a new global vision for 6G and international rules for Satcom.