New Delhi: The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has officially endorsed the 6G Vision Framework, with India’s Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications playing a crucial role in its development. On March 23, 2023, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi unveiled India’s 6G Vision document, titled “Bharat 6G Vision,” which aims for India to become a leading contributor in the design, development, and implementation of 6G technology by 2030.
The Bharat 6G Vision is founded on the principles of Affordability, Sustainability, and Ubiquity. It seeks to establish India as a prominent provider of advanced and cost-effective telecommunications technologies and solutions that benefit the global community. As a result of the Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications’ efforts to prioritize 6G standardization, Ubiquitous Connectivity, Ubiquitous Intelligence, and Sustainability have been acknowledged as key components of 6G Technology. This has significantly elevated India’s position in the international telecommunications landscape.
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations’ specialized agency for Information and Communication Technologies, has designated the 6th Generation or 6G Technology as ‘IMT 2030. The ITU’s endorsement of the 6G Framework on June 22, 2023, will serve as a foundational document for worldwide research and development in 6G technology.
The formulation of the ITU 6G Framework is the result of collaborative efforts by member countries of the United Nations, with India playing a leading role throughout the process.
The Telecommunication Engineering Center (TEC), the technical branch of the Ministry of Communications, has spearheaded India’s standardization work on the 6G Framework. Under the leadership of TEC, the National Study Group (NSG) has made significant contributions to the development of the ITU 6G framework. The NSG, which includes major industries, startups, academia, and research and development organizations, has encouraged broad stakeholder participation through an inclusive approach.
TEC’s NSG has been dedicated to this framework for several years, advocating for India’s specific requirements on the international stage. In the past, India, through the NSG, contributed to the development of 5G technology, resulting in the adoption of the Low Mobility Large Cell (LMLC) as a 5G use case by the ITU.
