Building a Viksit Bharat with 6G: From Self-Reliance to Global Leadership

Introduction

India is positioning itself at the forefront of next-generation telecommunications, with an accelerated national push toward 6G technologies. Through coordinated governmental action and multi-stakeholder participation, the country aims to establish an affordable, secure, and sustainable 6G ecosystem. The alignment of industry, academia, and research institutions with national policy places India on a trajectory to lead global standards and innovation which is an essential component of the broader vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.

What is 6G?

Sixth-generation (6G) wireless technology represents the next leap in global communications. Building on the capabilities of 5G, it is expected to operate on significantly higher frequencies, enabling instantaneous transmission of massive data volumes. With latency predicted to fall to the microsecond range, nearly a thousand times faster than 5G, 6G will facilitate mission-critical applications, such as remote robotic surgeries, autonomous systems, and fully immersive virtual environments. When integrated with artificial intelligence (AI), 6G networks will be capable of intelligent resource allocation, optimizing data processing and storage across distributed systems.

India’s 6G Vision: Leading the Telecom Revolution

India’s Bharat 6G Vision, released on 22 March 2023, establishes an ambitious roadmap that seeks to position the country as a global supplier and innovator of advanced telecom technologies by 2030. Key initiatives under this vision include:

• Establishment of the 6G THz Testbed and Advanced Optical Communication Testbed to promote frontier research.
• Creation of 100 5G labs across academic institutions to prepare a foundational 6G-ready environment.
• Approval of 104 research proposals focused on next-generation networks and global standardization efforts.

This framework signals India’s intent not merely to adopt emerging technologies but to shape their evolution.

Bharat 6G Alliance: A Strategic Collaborative Platform

The Bharat 6G Alliance (B6GA) serves as a comprehensive consortium comprising industry leaders, telecom operators, academic institutions, and research bodies. It aims to develop a self-reliant yet globally competitive 6G ecosystem.

To strengthen international engagement, B6GA has executed MoUs with leading global alliances, including the NextG Alliance (USA), 6G IA (Europe), 6G Flagship (Finland), 6G Forum (South Korea), and 6G Brasil (Brazil). These partnerships are expected to enhance supply-chain resilience, promote secure communications frameworks, and integrate India into the global standard-setting processes.

Seven specialised working groups have been constituted to examine technology development, spectrum management, sustainability, and use-case evolution.

India’s 6G Mission: Driving Innovation and Global Integration

India’s 6G Mission seeks to ensure that India becomes not only a user but a principal developer and exporter of next-generation wireless technologies. This mission integrates startups, innovators, policymakers, and academia to drive research and commercial deployment of indigenous 6G solutions. The objective is clear: India must be a source of global telecom innovation, not merely a recipient of it.

The International 6G Symposium 2025, held during the India Mobile Congress (IMC), highlighted India’s growing influence in telecom innovation. A notable highlight was the demonstration of the indigenous 4G technology stack, marking a significant advancement in self-reliance.

India’s 6G roadmap anticipates a USD 1.2 trillion contribution from the telecom sector to the national GDP by 2035 and seeks to secure 10% of global 6G patents. Parallelly, India’s satellite communication market is expected to triple by 2033, strengthening the nation’s position in space-based connectivity.
Emphasis on Collaboration and Inclusivity
The symposium reinforced the imperative of collaboration across government, academia, and industry. International partnerships and the development of a self-reliant (Swadeshi) telecom ecosystem were central themes. With over 100,000 indigenous 4G towers deployed, India already possesses a robust infrastructure that forms the bedrock for 6G evolution.

Key Announcements at IMC 2025

Several key initiatives were announced at IMC 2025 to speed up India’s 6G journey:

• Release of the Joint Declaration on 6G Principles (10 October 2025).
• Launch of collaborative projects between B6GA, NASSCOM, and the European Space Agency.
• Publication of four pivotal whitepapers namely Spectrum Roadmap for 6G in India, Powering Next-Gen Telecom, AI and Network Evolution to 5G and 6G Architecture, Security, and RF Sensing Framework

Government Initiatives Toward a 6G-Ready Ecosystem

100 5G Labs Initiative: This programme supports the development of 5G- and 6G-oriented research capabilities across academic institutions, enabling students and researchers to experiment with advanced telecom technologies and collaborate with startups.

Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF): Launched on 1 October 2022, the TTDF finances R&D projects aimed at strengthening domestic telecom manufacturing, particularly for rural and remote connectivity. As of 30 September 2025, 115 projects have been funded under this scheme.

Bharat 6G Alliance Progress: By July 2025, B6GA had expanded to over 80 member organisations, including more than 30 startups, with a mandate to enhance inclusive, secure, and intelligent connectivity and support global digital inclusion.

Technology Innovation Hub at IIIT Bangalore: Under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS), this hub is developing research capabilities in Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces, O-RAN Massive MIMO, and various IP assets that will inform global 6G standards.

Conclusion

India’s 6G journey represents far more than an upgrade in communication speeds. It signals a strategic pivot toward autonomy, security, and technological sovereignty. Through initiatives such as the Bharat 6G Alliance, TTDF, academic testbeds, and global partnerships, India is steadily advancing from being a technology consumer to a technology creator.

With a clear policy vision grounded in affordability, sustainability, and inclusion, India is well-positioned to emerge as a global leader in 6G, contributing meaningfully to the national aspiration of Viksit Bharat by 2047.