India's 6G Vision: Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Reveals Next-Generation Network Plans at NDTV World Summit

NDTV's Vishnu Som engaged in a dialogue with Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at the NDTV World Summit in New Delhi.

During the NDTV World Summit held in Delhi today, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw elaborated on India's ambitious 6G technology plans in a conversation with NDTV's Vishnu Som.

The Union IT Minister emphasized that 6G will represent a complete paradigm shift from previous network generations, cautioning against viewing it through a traditional lens. "Through 2G, the architecture was entirely different, with 3G building upon that foundation. 4G introduced a significantly different architecture, and 5G was developed on 4G principles. 6G will introduce an absolutely new approach where the network possesses self-thinking capabilities," Vaishnaw explained on the second day of the summit.

"6G will transform into a software-defined network with persistent availability throughout the entire ecosystem. While today's networks revolve around towers and mobile devices, tomorrow's technology will incorporate any handheld object as part of that network," he added.

Vaishnaw highlighted India's significant progress in 6G research, mentioning the establishment of the 6G Council in close collaboration with industry leaders and academic institutions.

"The initiative is completely driven by industry and academia, and I believe we've already secured approximately 60 patents for 6G technology, with that number increasing rapidly," Vaishnaw stated, noting he no longer oversees the telecom ministry directly.

Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Qualcomm CEO Cristiano R Amon to discuss India's transition to 6G among other topics. The semiconductor executive noted that 6G will implement "sensing networks" that will be crucial for the AI era, while also delivering faster and more cost-effective communication.

The Bharat 6G Alliance represents a collaborative partnership between domestic industry, academia, national research institutions, and standards organizations with government facilitation. B6GA's mandate includes fostering growth of 5G advanced/6G intellectual property and essential patents from India, designing indigenous 5G advanced/6G products and solutions, and building consortia of Indian startups and companies.

The NDTV World Summit 2025 centers around the theme "Edge of the Unknown: Risk. Resolve. Renewal." This two-day gathering invites participants to transcend conventional boundaries and explore unfamiliar territories in pursuit of a more conscious collective future.

This year's summit brings together an exceptional assembly of global leaders including heads of state, cultural figures, business innovators, and thought leaders to engage in meaningful dialogue. The conversations are founded on courageous inquiry and thoughtful exploration of navigating complexity with clarity and ethical consideration.