PM Modi unveils 6G test bed, industry hails move

After a successful 5G rollout in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced the Bharat 6G vision document and launched the 6G research and development (R&D) test bed.

Inaugurating the new International Telecommunication Union (ITU) area office and innovation centre during a programme at Vigyan Bhawan here, he said that the 6G R&D test bed will help faster adoption of the new technology in the country.

The government said that the Bharat 6G vision document and 6G test bed will provide an enabling environment for innovation, capacity building, and faster technology adoption in the country.

The Prime Minister emphasised that India was only a user of telecom technology before 4G, but today, it is moving towards being the biggest exporter of telecom technology in the world.

"India is working with many countries to change the work culture of the whole world with the power of 5G," he said.

"These 100 new labs will help in developing 5G applications according to India's unique needs. Be it 5G smart classrooms, farming, intelligent transport systems or healthcare applications, India is working fast in every direction", the Prime Minister added.

Noting that India's 5G standards are part of the global 5G systems, he said that India will also work closely with ITU for the standardisation of future technologies, underlining that the new Indian ITU area office will also help in creating the right environment for 6G.

The industry hailed the PM's move to roll out the 6G test bed in the country.

"6G holds the possibility to provide extreme speeds with predictably low latency and a low jitter rate for high demanding scenarios and about 10Cr active 6G devices by 2030," said Arvind Bali, CEO, Telecom Sector Skill Council (TSSC).

"By providing a platform for academic research, industry, and startups, the 6G Test Bed can pave the way for the development of skilled and innovative workforce," he added.

In August last year, PM Modi had said that the government is preparing to launch 6G by the end of this decade.