NEW DELHI: India has joined a select group of 25 countries, including the United States, working together to advance the development and deployment of next generation 6G telecommunications networks.
The US Department of Commerce announced the development following a bilateral meeting between US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada on the sidelines of the G20 Innovation Ministerial.
The department said the partnership would help ensure that future communication networks reflect shared security interests, strengthen technological competitiveness and promote innovation in 6G.
The announcement came as G20 innovation ministers concluded their meeting in the United States and issued an innovation ministerial statement highlighting the potential of emerging technologies to boost prosperity, improve productivity and create greater opportunities.
During his meeting with Lutnick, Prasada discussed ways to expand India-US cooperation in key areas including semiconductors, artificial intelligence and data centres.
Prasada also encouraged greater US investment under India’s ISM 2.0 initiative and proposed strengthening bilateral cooperation in AI technology. He also shared India’s approach towards developing safeguards for artificial intelligence.
Highlighting the importance of these sectors, Prasada said semiconductors, AI and data centres are critical building blocks of the emerging digital economy.
India’s participation in the 6G initiative marks another step in its growing engagement with global partners on advanced telecommunications technologies. The collaboration is expected to focus on building future networks that are secure, resilient and capable of supporting emerging digital applications.
The move also comes as countries increasingly seek to establish common approaches to next-generation connectivity while ensuring that technological development supports national security and economic competitiveness.