India has joined the United States and 24 other countries in an international effort focused on the development and deployment of next-generation 6G telecom networks, the US Commerce Department said on Monday.
The announcement followed a meeting between US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and India's Minister of State for Commerce Jitin Prasada on the sidelines of the G20 Innovation Ministerial. Their discussions included the future of 6G and cooperation in emerging technologies.
The US Commerce Department said in a post on X, "Secretary Lutnick met with Indian Minister of State for Commerce Jitin Prasada on the sidelines of the G20 Innovation Ministerial to discuss the future of 6G. Today, we are pleased to announce that India has joined the U.S. and 24 other countries in the effort to ensure that next-generation networks reflect our shared security interests, strengthen our competitiveness, and drive innovation in 6G."
India’s 6G plans under Bharat 6G Mission
India had earlier joined the Call to Action for 6G Leadership and Security, launched by the US Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).
Under the initiative, participating countries have committed to greater cooperation on 6G development over the coming year and beyond. Areas covered include network security, interoperability, resilience and the use of trusted artificial intelligence in 6G infrastructure.
The move also aligns with India's Bharat 6G Mission, which aims to position the country as a global hub for 6G intellectual property, products and affordable telecom solutions. The mission also seeks to increase India's role in international telecom standard-setting.
India-US talks cover AI, semiconductors
Prasada led an Indian delegation at the G20 Innovation Ministers’ meeting held on September 1 and 2 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The delegation included officials from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Department of Science and Technology and Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.
The G20 ministers' statement noted that “emerging technologies have the potential to unlock prosperity, enhance productivity, and expand opportunity for all our peoples.”
On the sidelines, Prasada held talks with Lutnick on semiconductors, data centres and artificial intelligence. He also discussed potential US investments in ISM2.0, closer AI cooperation and safeguards for AI development.
"Semiconductors. AI. Data centres. These are critical building blocks of the emerging digital economy," Prasada wrote on X.
He added, "In my bilateral discussion with Mr. Howard Lutnick, US Secretary of Commerce, we exchanged views on strengthening cooperation across these areas and advancing technology-led opportunities between India and the United States."