Bharat 6G Alliance Expands Membership to Drive Next-Gen Telecom

Bharat 6G Alliance Expands Membership to Drive Next-Gen Telecom

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Why in News

  • The Minister of State for Communications announced that the Bharat 6G Alliance (B6GA) has expanded its membership to 90 organizations.

About Bharat 6G Alliance

  • The Bharat 6G Alliance (B6GA) is a collaborative platform led by industry and supported by the government to establish India as a global leader in 6G technology.
  • It brings together domestic and international experts to drive research, generate patents, and set technical standards for future telecom networks.

Nodal Support and Global Partners

  • The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) under the Ministry of Communications provides official facilitation and support for this alliance.
  • The organization works through bilateral agreements with major global bodies such as the NextG Alliance (USA), 6G-IA (Europe), 6G Forum (South Korea), XGMF (Japan), 6G Brasil, and the European Space Agency (ESA).

Objectives of the Alliance

  • The primary goal is to promote local research and development to build a self-reliant and globally competitive 6G system.
  • It ensures that India's manufacturing capabilities, technology goals, and patent priorities are included in global 6G guidelines.

Key Functions of the Alliance

  • Formulating Spectrum Roadmaps: It studies high-frequency radio waves and advises the Department of Telecommunications on policy, allocation plans, and rollout schedules.
  • Advancing R&D and Testbeds: It manages multi-institutional projects under the Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF), including a 6G Terahertz testbed at SAMEER Kolkata for ultra-fast direct communication.
  • Securing Global Standards: It submits Indian technical contributions to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) under the IMT-2030 framework, successfully making widespread network coverage a core global requirement.
  • Supporting Hardware Startups: It encourages research on advanced microchips, multi-chip modules, and smart devices using the Technology Development and Investment Promotion (TDIP) scheme to sponsor startup participation in international bodies like 3GPP and oneM2M.
  • Building Resilient Supply Chains: It partners with international hubs like Finland's 6G Flagship to create secure supply chains and co-develop open 6G standards.

Significance of B6GA

  • The alliance allows India to shape global 6G rules at ITU and 3GPP, shifting the country from a technology user to a global standards leader.
  • It connects IIT research with commercial industries to market local telecom products, strengthen cybersecurity, reduce foreign imports, and boost domestic manufacturing.