India's Bharat 6G Vision Targets 2030 Rollout
The roadmap prioritises sub-terahertz spectrum and aims for 10% of global 6G patents through domestic research.
The Department of Telecommunications and the Telecom Technology Development Fund have jointly published the Bharat 6G Technology Vision Document, setting India's research priorities, spectrum strategy and deployment roadmap for sixth-generation wireless. It targets 2030 for the first commercial 6G deployments and 10 per cent of global 6G intellectual property through domestic research.
6G is the next wireless generation after 5G, promising far higher speeds and lower latency for applications not yet mainstream.
Key Highlights
- Target: first commercial 6G services by 2030.
- Ambition: 10% of global 6G patents from India.
- Focus spectrum: sub-terahertz 100-300 GHz bands.
- ₹10,000 crore research corpus over five years.
- Primary nodes: IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IISc and C-DoT.
Spectrum and Use Cases
The document identifies sub-terahertz bands (100-300 GHz) as a research focus, since they can theoretically support 100 to 1,000 Gbps speeds and sub-millisecond latency — enabling holographic communications, tactile internet for remote surgery and ultra-dense connected manufacturing.
Bharat 6G targets
| Target | Detail |
|---|---|
| Commercial rollout | By 2030 |
| Global patent share | 10% of 6G IPR |
| Focus spectrum | Sub-terahertz, 100-300 GHz |
| Research corpus | ₹10,000 crore over five years |
| Research nodes | IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IISc, C-DoT |
Patents and Standards
India contributes roughly 2-3 per cent of global 5G standard-essential patents, against China's 38 per cent and the US's 15 per cent. The 10 per cent 6G target is ambitious and needs a big rise in academic and industry R&D. The document urges Indian institutions to engage early in the ITU's 6G study groups and the 3GPP standards process, where early presence built IPR leverage in 5G.
Industry Partnerships
Equipment makers, including Nokia, Ericsson and Samsung, have signalled interest in a matched-funding programme with the research nodes. The government also proposed a regulatory sandbox for 6G demonstrations in designated spectrum before commercial licensing exists.
Observers note global 6G research is still pre-standard, and that 2030 is achievable in principle — Korea, Japan and China have similar timelines. Success hinges on turning funding into internationally recognised patents, an effort that complements India's semiconductor design push.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does India target commercial 6G?
By 2030, matching timelines set by Korea, Japan and China.
What is the patent goal?
Ten per cent of global 6G intellectual property, up from 2-3% in 5G.
Which spectrum is the focus?
Sub-terahertz bands in the 100-300 GHz range.
How much research funding is planned?
A ₹10,000 crore corpus over five years.
Which institutions lead the research?
IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IISc and C-DoT.
Sources
- Department of Telecommunications — Bharat 6G Vision Document
- Telecom Technology Development Fund
Abhijit Chowdhury
Staff Reporter
Editorial administrator for Eastern Times.
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