India has endorsed the Call to Action for 6G Leadership and Security, joining 24 other governments in supporting the development of open, interoperable, secure and resilient sixth-generation wireless networks.
The announcement was made on September 9 on the sidelines of the G20 Innovation Ministerial held in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, under the United States’ G20 Presidency. The ministerial took place on September 1 and 2.
Under the initiative, participating governments have committed to working towards stronger security, resilience, resource efficiency and innovation-driven competition as the global telecommunications sector moves towards 6G. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) will coordinate India’s follow-up activities with government agencies, industry, academia and other stakeholders.
The Call to Action recognises telecommunications networks as critical components of digital infrastructure, with implications for economic growth, technological competitiveness and national security. It also highlights the potential cyber, economic and security risks associated with increasingly interconnected communications systems.
The framework establishes a timeline for participating governments. Within one month, countries are expected to nominate expert points of contact, identify the agency responsible for communications with the group and prepare an initial list of industry and academic stakeholders. Within three months, governments are to work with the telecom sector to assess the emerging 6G landscape and barriers to competitiveness. Further expert-level planning is expected within six months, followed by an in-person review in 2027.
The cooperation agenda also includes information-sharing on 6G research, collaboration to support secure 5G and 6G deployment, assessment of cybersecurity risks linked to telecom investments and greater supply-chain transparency. Participants will also work with industry on the development of global 6G standards, including security requirements.
India’s participation builds on initiatives including the Bharat 6G Vision, Bharat 6G Alliance and its indigenous 4G and 5G technology stack. The government said its participation will complement ongoing international work on standardisation and spectrum while retaining India’s independent positions in those forums.
The countries supporting the initiative include Canada, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States, among others.
Source: This article is based on an official press release issued by the Press Information Bureau (PIB)
Press Release: Press Information Bureau
