Summary:
Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia said India is well positioned to help shape global 6G standards through the Bharat 6G Alliance, working alongside bodies like the International Telecommunication Union and the 3rd Generation Partnership Project. Speaking at an international workshop, he outlined priorities including global interoperability, common technical standards, accelerated innovation, and inclusive growth driven by open standards. He highlighted 6G’s potential to enable advanced applications such as smart agriculture and remote healthcare, while stressing that it could bridge the digital divide and expand opportunities. Scindia also underscored India’s ambition to strengthen its role in global telecom development and build a secure, collaborative 6G ecosystem aligned with its growing digital economy.
Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia said that India is well placed to play a leading role in shaping global 6G standards through the Bharat 6G Alliance. He noted that the country aims to collaborate with international telecom standard-setting organisations such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) to build a unified technical framework for 6G technology. He made these remarks on Wednesday, March 18, 2026.
While delivering the keynote address at an International Workshop on 6G Standardisation, Scindia highlighted India’s intent to contribute meaningfully to the future global telecom ecosystem, according to a statement from the Ministry of Communications.
Collaboration with Global Telecom Bodies
He outlined four foundational priorities for India’s approach. First, ensuring seamless global interoperability across devices, networks, and services so communication flows smoothly within a unified system. Second, working jointly with global institutions like 3GPP and ITU to establish common technical standards covering radio interfaces, core networks, spectrum, and service architecture. Third, promoting faster innovation and research by providing clear global standards that help researchers, startups, and industry convert ideas into practical applications.
Fourth, and most crucially, fostering inclusive growth alongside domestic innovation. He stressed that open standards help create equal opportunities for countries to contribute, develop intellectual property, and ensure that technological benefits reach people worldwide. Achieving these goals, he said, will require sustained international cooperation, dialogue, and engagement.
Senior officials including Amit Agrawal, Chairman DCC and Secretary (Telecom); Manish Sinha, Member (Finance); Rudra Narayan Palai, Member (Technology); and Deb Kumar Chakrabarti, Member (Services) were also present. The workshop was organised by the Telecommunication Engineering Centre, the technical arm of the Department of Telecommunications.
Workshop Highlights and Participation
According to the Ministry, the event provided a platform to assess global progress in 6G research, spectrum strategy, network design, AI-driven systems, and emerging use cases, while also strengthening India’s involvement in international standard-setting efforts.
Innovation, Startups, and Industry Alignment
Scindia pointed out that clearly defined global standards will help Indian researchers, startups, and industries align investments and translate laboratory innovations into real-world solutions. He reiterated that inclusive growth and indigenous innovation remain central, with open standards ensuring fair participation, intellectual property creation, and broad access to technological benefits.
The report added that industry players—including vendors, chip manufacturers, and telecom operators—have already begun trials and demonstrations of next-generation mobile technologies. These are expected to deliver faster speeds, reduced latency, and widespread connectivity using new frequency bands such as centimeter wave (cmWave) and terahertz (THz).
He further stated that India is actively working through the Bharat 6G Alliance, established under the leadership of Narendra Modi, to contribute to the global standard-setting process led by ITU and 3GPP.
6G’s Transformational Potential
The minister noted that 6G could drive innovation at scale and extend its benefits to grassroots levels. He explained that such networks could enable farmers to monitor soil moisture and weather conditions, and support advancements like remote robotic surgery in healthcare. By combining high speed, low latency, and artificial intelligence, he described 6G as enabling an “intelligent internet of everything.”
India envisions a future powered by technologies such as holographic communication, autonomous mobility, digital twins, and sustainability-driven solutions. Scindia emphasised that the true promise of 6G lies not only in advanced technology but also in expanding access to opportunities.
India’s Long-Term Digital Economy Vision
He added that India is looking at significant growth potential, building on a digital economy currently valued at around USD 1 trillion and supported by nearly 200,000 startups.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the workshop, Scindia reaffirmed that the Bharat 6G Alliance will continue working across its seven groups to strengthen India’s role in global 6G standardisation. He highlighted the vast potential of the technology, stating that it will not only narrow the digital divide but also unlock substantial opportunities for the country.
He concluded by calling for a collective commitment to develop a secure, resilient, and truly global 6G ecosystem—one that connects people, opportunities, and possibilities worldwide.
