India has joined the United States and 24 other countries in a global initiative aimed at shaping the development and deployment of next-generation 6G telecommunications networks.
The agreement was finalised following a bilateral meeting between US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and India’s Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada on the sidelines of the G20 Innovation Ministerial meeting in the United States.
The initiative seeks to ensure that future 6G networks reflect shared security interests, strengthen technological competitiveness and drive innovation. The collaboration also comes amid growing global competition over advanced technologies and digital infrastructure.
Prasada led the Indian delegation at the G20 Innovation Ministers’ meeting held in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on September 1 and 2. Senior officials from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Department of Science and Technology and DPIIT were part of the Indian delegation.
India’s participation comes as the country seeks a stronger role in global telecom technology and standard-setting. The government has already been pushing indigenous capabilities in advanced telecom technologies, including 5G Advanced and 6G, while encouraging startups, industry and academia to participate in technology development.
The move could give India a greater voice in determining the standards, technologies and security frameworks that will underpin the next generation of global connectivity.
