India on Tuesday joined 25 countries in a US-led initiative to coordinate on the development of secure, interoperable and resilient 6G networks. The US Department of Commerce announced India’s participation after a meeting between US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and India’s Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada on the sidelines of the G20 Innovation Ministerial.
The initiative, called the ‘Call to Action for 6G Leadership and Security’, brings together 26 governments. It focuses on cooperation around the security and resilience of future networks, supply chains, innovation and global 6G standards. The framework also calls for engagement with industry and academia.
The US Department of Commerce said India had joined the effort to ensure that next-generation networks “reflect our shared security interests, strengthen our competitiveness, and drive innovation in 6G”.
What does the US-led 6G initiative cover?
According to a joint framework, published by the US Department of Commerce in July, the participating governments have committed to supporting 6G networks that are open, interoperable, secure, resilient, AI-supported and resource efficient.
They also plan to work together on supply-chain security and engage with telecom companies, research institutions and other stakeholders.
The framework is not intended to replace industry-led organisations working on the technical development of 6G. The participating governments have specifically said they should “avoid duplication with industry-driven bodies” while finding ways to work with private-sector stakeholders.
The document also said that joining the initiative does not restrict a government from pursuing its own position or autonomy in relation to other 6G bodies.
As per the framework, the countries have set out a series of steps over the next 12 months. These include designating government-level 6G contacts, identifying telecom and academic stakeholders, engaging industry, discussing barriers to 6G leadership and examining resources that could support 6G competitiveness, it said.
The framework also proposed discussions on secure and resilient 6G supply chains, cybersecurity risks linked to telecom investments and greater coordination with industry on global 6G standards.
Where does Bharat 6G fit in?
India’s Bharat 6G programme has a domestic technology-development focus. The government’s Bharat 6G Vision, released in March 2023, aims to make India a frontline contributor to the design, development and deployment of 6G technologies by 2030. The vision is based on affordability, sustainability and ubiquity.
The Bharat 6G Alliance (B6GA) is another part of this effort. The government said the alliance brings together Indian industry, telecom service providers, academia, national research institutions and standards organisations. It is an industry-led body facilitated by the government and is focused on indigenous 6G research and development.
The alliance, however, is not limited to domestic work. B6GA has signed MoUs with international 6G research alliances, including the US Next G Alliance, Europe’s 6G-IA, Finland’s 6G Flagship, South Korea’s 6G Forum, Japan’s XGMF, the NGMN Alliance and 6G Brasil. The government said these partnerships are intended to support “collaborative research and standardization”.
In a statement issued in 2025, the government said the Bharat 6G Vision seeks to position India as a global leader in 6G by 2030, while the Bharat 6G Alliance is intended to build an ecosystem involving industry, academia, research institutions and standards organisations.
India has also contributed to the International Telecommunication Union International Mobile Technology (IMT) 2030 framework, including the inclusion of “Ubiquitous Connectivity” as one of the six 6G usage scenarios.
So, what does joining the US initiative add?
India already has international engagement on 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance, including partnerships with overseas 6G organisations. The new initiative brings governments themselves into the framework. The participating countries have agreed to designate government-level 6G contacts, exchange information and discuss coordinated approaches to 6G leadership and security.
This creates a government-to-government channel on 6G alongside the research, industry and standards work being undertaken through Bharat 6G. The Call to Action also says participation does not replace the work of industry-led bodies involved in 6G’s technical development and does not prevent participating governments from pursuing their own positions.
Kunal Bajaj, telecom expert and CEO and co-founder of CloudExtel, said India’s opportunity extends beyond preparing for the next generation of connectivity.
“The opportunity is also bigger than simply preparing for the next generation of connectivity. India has the potential to contribute to the global 6G ecosystem by shaping technologies, standards and infrastructure models that can scale beyond our own market,” Bajaj told Business Standard.
