The Centre on Wednesday said the standards and regulations around 6G should ensure inclusivity and affordability for all. As standards are set for 6G, India has a tremendous opportunity given its proven capabilities in technology, and engineering, according to Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia 

“Our 6G standards characterised by unprecedented speed, low latency and transformative applications must be for all...inclusive and accessible and affordable, and only then will it represent true value for all of humanity,” Scindia said.

Speaking at the inauguration of the International 6G Symposium at the India Mobile Congress 2024 (IMC 2024) currently underway, Scindia also emphasised the importance of ensuring cybersecurity for every citizen that avails 6G opportunity.

“As we set the regulatory environment, India has a tremendous capability to contribute to formulation of regulations,” he said adding that India accounts for a substantial chunk of STEM (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) graduates, its tech prowess presents a major opportunity as the world moves towards 6G.

“About 31.7 per cent of the world’s STEM graduates hail from India. This presents a huge opportunity to be a vibrant supporter of 6G technology which will open doors for AI, Internet of Things (IoT) and machine learning,” Scindia said.

On Tuesday also, the Minister had said that India is resolved to lead the world in 6G, terming the telecom sector of the country as ‘aggressive’ and ‘ambitious’ and added that with the Bharat 6G Alliance, India hopes to contribute at least 10 per cent patents to 6G standardisation.

“It is our belief and our commitment -- India followed the world in 4G, we marched with the world in 5G, but we shall lead the world in 6G,” he said.

5G coverage

With the fastest 5G rollout in India wherein 98 per cent of districts and 90 per cent of all villages were covered in a span of just 21 months, Scindia said it is the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s effort of not just embracing, but bracing the country to become the first-mover in 6G technology.

“It is noteworthy that the Indian Mobile Congress and the International 6G Symposium demonstrates both local and global advancements in 6G, and also design principles that will shape the future of telecom,” he said.

The recent changes to the Telecommunications Act 2023 have been designed in such a way so as to modernise India’s telecom framework, drawing light upon hitherto unaddressed areas such as the high potential sector of satellite communications, addressing the challenges of the digital era, the most important being cyber security, he had added.

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