India’s 6G vision: Telecom players targeting 10 percent share in 6G patents globally in next 3 years

Indian telecom players are targeting a share of 10 percent of all 6G patents and one-sixth contributions to global standards in the next three years, the government said in a statement on August 24. 

Telecom industry players have proposed to systematically align research to ‘India’s needs’ and put in place a vibrant standards community. 

The proposal came up during the second meeting of Stakeholders Advisory Committee (SAC) on Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) chaired by Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on August 23.

“Industry leaders proposed systematically aligning research to India's needs' and put in place a vibrant 'Standards Community' targeting a share of 10 percent of all 6G patents and one-sixth contributions to global standards in the next 3 years,” the statement said. 

“India has already taken various initiatives like launch of Bhart6G Vision and Bhart6G Alliance, patent and IPR support framework, commissioning of testbeds, etc., and country can aspire for achieving 10 percent of all 6G patents and one-sixth contributions to global standards promoting India's needs. SAC proposed a 3-year roadmap for achieving it,” the statement said. 

During the first SAC on telecom operators, certain focus areas were identified. 

Deliberations on international standards and India’s share in Intellectual Property and Standard Essential Patent (SEP), connectivity gaps in telecom and quality of telecom services were held in the meeting. 

The SAC emphasises on India becoming a deep-tech leader, penetration of both wireline and intelligent wireless broadband networks, with reliable connectivity. 

The advisory committee stated that the widespread penetration of both wireline and intelligent wireless broadband networks with reliable connectivity is critical for India to become a leader in the deep technology (deeptech) domain. 

Reliance Jio Managing Director Pankaj Pawar, Vodafone Idea CEO Akshaya Moondra, BSNL Chairman and Managing Director Robert J Ravi, Tejas Networks’ Chairman of the Board of Directors, N G Subramaniam and industry body COAI Director General S P Kochhar attended the meeting, PTI reported. 

The telecom operators sought a supportive policy framework to encourage investments towards the path of 100 percent broadband coverage in the country. 

Scindia asked the SAC members to define a critical path to achieve the targets discussed and to define roles they see for different stakeholders, including the government, in achieving the same.