India has taken another step towards establishing itself as a major global player in next-generation telecommunications by endorsing the Call to Action for 6G Leadership and Security.
The announcement was made on the sidelines of the G20 Innovation Ministerial, held in North Carolina in the United States on September 1 and 2, 2026, under the US G20 Presidency.
With the endorsement, India has joined a group of 24 countries that have committed to working together to shape the development of sixth-generation wireless technology. The partnership places particular emphasis on openness, interoperability, security, resilience, resource efficiency and innovation-led competition.
The initiative comes at a time when countries are already preparing for the technologies that will power the next generation of digital connectivity. Although widespread commercial deployment of 6G is still years away, governments and technology companies are beginning work on standards, security frameworks, spectrum requirements and research that will determine how the technology develops during the 2030s.
For India, the decision is also closely linked to its ambition to have a greater say in international telecommunications standards and to develop indigenous technologies for the future.
Global partnership focuses on secure 6G networks
The Call to Action seeks to accelerate the development of secure 6G wireless networks and encourage participating countries to coordinate their national strategies well ahead of commercial deployment.
At the heart of the initiative is the recognition that telecommunications networks have become much more than systems for making calls or accessing the internet. Modern communication infrastructure supports financial services, healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, government services, education and other critical areas of the economy.
As dependence on digital infrastructure grows, the security and resilience of communication networks have become increasingly important for both economic competitiveness and national security.
The countries supporting the initiative have therefore emphasised the need for future networks to be designed with security and resilience in mind. They also support an open and interoperable approach that can encourage innovation and competition while reducing vulnerabilities in critical digital infrastructure.
The initiative recognises that globally interconnected communication systems can also create cyber, economic and national security risks. These risks cannot always be addressed by individual countries acting alone, making international cooperation an important part of preparing for 6G.
India joins 24-nation effort
India joins Canada, Costa Rica, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Honduras, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Norway, Paraguay, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States, among other participating nations, in endorsing the Call to Action.
The partnership brings together countries with significant telecommunications markets, technology industries and research capabilities. Their cooperation is expected to focus on developing common approaches to secure and resilient next-generation networks while allowing individual countries to maintain their own positions on international telecommunications policy.
For India, the engagement provides another platform to work with technologically advanced nations on emerging telecommunications technologies and to strengthen its presence in discussions that could influence the global 6G ecosystem.
Scindia highlights India’s 6G ambitions
Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya M. Scindia welcomed India’s participation and described it as an important development for the country’s future in telecommunications.
In a post on X, Scindia said, “Bharat For 6G!” while announcing India’s endorsement of the international Call to Action.
He said India was joining 24 like-minded nations to advance an open, interoperable, secure and resilient next-generation network.
Scindia also highlighted the importance of preparing for 6G well before the technology is commercially deployed. According to him, the global partnership will help accelerate the development of secure 6G wireless networks and coordinate national strategies ahead of the expected rollout in the 2030s.
The minister further pointed to India’s ambition of securing 10 per cent of global 6G standards. He also thanked Union Minister Jitin Prasada for representing India at the G20 Innovation Ministerial.
The announcement underlines the government’s effort to position India not simply as one of the world’s largest users of telecommunications technology, but also as a country that contributes to the technologies and standards that will define future networks.
India targets 10 per cent of global 6G standards
One of the key ambitions behind India’s 6G strategy is to increase the country’s contribution to global telecommunications standards and intellectual property.
India has set a target of contributing 10 per cent of global 6G standards and patents. Achieving such a target would represent a significant expansion of India’s role in international telecommunications.
Global standards are important because they determine how technologies developed by different companies and countries can work together. Countries and organisations that contribute research, technologies and intellectual property to these standards can have a greater influence over the direction of the global telecommunications industry.
India has consequently been increasing its participation in international standardisation and spectrum-related forums. The country’s engagement under the new Call to Action is expected to complement these existing efforts.
The government has also made it clear that participation in the international initiative will not affect India’s independent positions in global standardisation or spectrum forums.
Department of Telecommunications to coordinate India’s participation
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) will take forward India’s engagement under the Call to Action.
According to the Ministry of Communications, the department will coordinate follow-up activities with relevant government agencies, industry, academia and other stakeholders.
This will involve bringing together different parts of India’s technology ecosystem as work on 6G develops. Government agencies, telecom companies, technology firms, startups, universities and research institutions are expected to have an important role in developing technologies and applications for the next generation of wireless communication.
The approach also reflects the government’s broader effort to encourage cooperation between the public sector, private industry and research institutions in strategic technology areas.
Bharat 6G Vision provides the domestic framework
India’s participation in the global initiative builds on work that is already underway within the country through the Bharat 6G Vision.
The Bharat 6G Vision provides a roadmap for developing India’s capabilities in sixth-generation communications. It seeks to strengthen research and innovation while encouraging the development of technologies that can be used both in India and international markets.
The government has been working to create an ecosystem involving telecom operators, manufacturers, startups, research institutions and academic organisations. The objective is to ensure that India develops expertise across the 6G value chain rather than depending entirely on technologies developed elsewhere.
The Bharat 6G Alliance is another important part of this effort. It brings together stakeholders from the telecommunications and technology sectors to promote research, innovation, international cooperation and participation in global standards.
India’s experience in developing indigenous telecommunications technologies for 4G and 5G is also expected to provide a foundation for its future 6G ambitions.
From telecom consumer to technology contributor
For years, India was primarily seen as a large market for telecommunications equipment and services developed by companies from other countries. The government’s current strategy is aimed at changing that position.
The development of indigenous 4G and 5G technology has been an important part of this shift. India has sought to build domestic capabilities in areas ranging from network equipment to software and core telecommunications technologies.
The same approach is now being extended to 6G.
The government wants Indian researchers, companies and startups to participate in developing technologies that can eventually become part of global networks. Greater participation in international standards could also provide Indian companies with opportunities to commercialise technologies and intellectual property in international markets.
This strategy fits into the broader vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, which places emphasis on domestic technological capabilities and reduced dependence on foreign technology in strategically important sectors.
Security becomes increasingly important with 6G
Security is expected to become an even more important issue as future wireless networks become more deeply integrated into everyday life.
The next generation of networks is expected to connect a vast range of devices, machines and services. Connectivity could increasingly become part of industrial systems, transportation networks, healthcare infrastructure, energy systems and other critical sectors.
This means that a disruption or cyberattack targeting telecommunications infrastructure could potentially have consequences far beyond the communications sector itself.
The Call to Action therefore places strong emphasis on secure and resilient networks. Its participating countries recognise that network security must be considered alongside performance, efficiency and innovation when developing future telecommunications technologies.
The initiative also encourages cooperation between governments, industry and academia because cybersecurity challenges associated with future networks are likely to evolve rapidly.
Openness and interoperability also remain key priorities
Security is not the only focus of the international initiative. The Call to Action also supports open and interoperable networks.
Interoperability allows technologies and systems developed by different companies and countries to work together. This can help create a more competitive technology environment and reduce the risks associated with excessive dependence on a single supplier or technological ecosystem.
For India, this principle is particularly significant as it seeks to build a domestic telecommunications industry while also expanding its presence in international markets.
An open and competitive 6G ecosystem could provide opportunities for Indian companies, startups and research institutions to develop technologies that can be integrated into networks around the world.
6G and India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision
India’s 6G ambitions are also being linked to the broader goal of Viksit Bharat 2047, which envisages India as a developed nation by the centenary of its independence.
Advanced digital infrastructure is expected to play a major role in that transformation. Reliable and secure connectivity can support economic growth, digital public services, industrial development, innovation and access to technology.
By preparing for 6G years before its expected commercial deployment, India is seeking to ensure that the country is ready to take advantage of the next technological transition rather than responding after global standards and markets have already been established.
The government sees future telecommunications not merely as a communications service but as a foundational technology that can support a wide range of emerging industries.
India prepares early for the 6G era
The commercial arrival of 6G is still some years away, but the foundations of the technology are being established now through research, standardisation, spectrum discussions and international cooperation.
India’s decision to endorse the Call to Action indicates that New Delhi wants to be part of these discussions from the early stages.
The country will continue its work in international standardisation and spectrum forums while using the new partnership to cooperate with other countries on security, resilience and future network development.
At the domestic level, the Department of Telecommunications will coordinate with industry, academia and government agencies to take the initiative forward.
A new opportunity for India’s technology ambitions
India’s endorsement of the Call to Action for 6G Leadership and Security represents another step in the country’s effort to establish itself as a global telecommunications technology player.
By joining 24 countries in supporting an open, interoperable, secure and resilient approach to 6G, India is positioning itself to participate in decisions that could shape global wireless communication for decades.
The move also strengthens the country’s existing Bharat 6G Vision and Bharat 6G Alliance while complementing its work on indigenous 4G and 5G technologies.
With the government targeting a 10 per cent share of global 6G standards and patents, India’s challenge will now be to translate its policy ambitions into research, intellectual property, commercially viable technologies and meaningful contributions to international standards.
As the world moves towards the 6G era in the 2030s, India is signalling that it wants to be at the table not only as a major consumer of next-generation connectivity, but also as a contributor to the technology, standards and security frameworks that will define it.
