As India Embarks On 6G Journey, Ashwini Vaishnaw Says Country Already Has Over 120 Patents

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a target for India to lead in 6G and stand with the world in 5G.

6G will offer ultra-low latency with speeds up to 1 terabit per second.

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India has announced that it now has over 127 global patents for 6G technology, according to Union Minister for Communications Ashwini Vaishnaw. Speaking at a Communication Ministers' Conclave, Vaishnaw stated that Indian innovation and entrepreneurship had worked alongside academia to achieve the patents.

Vaishnaw also noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a target for India to lead in 6G and stand with the world in 5G. The government's recently unveiled 6G vision statement has outlined that 6G will offer ultra-low latency with speeds up to 1 terabit per second, which is 1,000 times more than the top speed of 5G.

Vaishnaw offered discounted 5G testing services to all neighbouring countries present at the conclave, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka. The minister highlighted that India has a strong ecosystem of engineering talent, research and development, and academic talent.

He emphasized that India has been able to create products by putting these elements together and that within eight years, the country has become confident in developing products and technologies and taking ever bigger challenges.

The minister also discussed the emerging digital economy in India and the need for regulatory changes. Vaishnaw noted that regulations for the digital economy must be technology-agnostic, dynamic, and capable of changing with new technologies. The government is currently rewriting its regulations for the digital economy and is working on new bills, such as the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill and the new Telecommunications Bill, which are based on principles rather than being prescriptive.

At the Communication Ministers' Conclave, Vaishnaw inaugurated the India Telecom exhibition in the presence of the Minister of State for Communications Devusinh Chauhan. The exhibition featured around 20 companies with local manufacturing capacity showcasing their solutions. A total of 30 countries participated in the event, including delegates from Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Mauritius, the US, and Russia.