India wants to move beyond being one of the world’s largest telecom markets and play a greater role in developing the technologies that will power 6G networks. The government has set an ambition of securing at least 10% of global 6G patents and standards contributions, while calling on the telecom industry to develop Indian alternatives to 10–20 critical network technologies that are currently imported. The challenge will be turning that ambition into commercially viable products and internationally adopted technology contributions.
The priorities were outlined by Minister of State for Communications Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani at India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026 in New Delhi on October 8. His remarks placed indigenous manufacturing, research funding and participation in global standards at the centre of India’s next phase of telecom development.
India Wants to Shape 6G, Not Just Deploy It
India has expanded its 5G infrastructure and developed an indigenous 4G technology stack. The next step, according to the government’s stated ambition, is to increase the country’s influence over the technologies and standards used to build future networks.
A larger share of global 6G patents could give Indian companies, research institutions and engineers a greater role in the technical development of next-generation communications. However, patent ownership and standards participation are not the same thing. A patent may cover a useful invention, while a contribution to a standards body must go through technical evaluation and consensus before it becomes part of an internationally recognised specification.
The government has called on major telecom operators to establish measurable annual and quarterly targets for standards contributions, standard-essential patents (SEPs) and university research. SEPs cover technologies considered essential to implementing a particular standard, subject to the relevant patent and licensing arrangements.
The target is an ambition, not a reported achievement. India’s progress will depend on the quality of its research, the ability of domestic companies to contribute to international technical discussions and whether their technologies are adopted in future standards and products.
The 10–20 Imported Technologies India Wants to Replace
Pemmasani called for the identification of 10–20 critical network technologies that India currently imports and for domestic alternatives to be developed. The areas he specifically highlighted included component manufacturing, chipsets, radios, routers and optical systems.
These categories cover different layers of telecom infrastructure. Chipsets provide the processing and signal-handling capabilities used in network equipment, while radio systems connect devices to mobile networks. Routers direct data traffic, and optical systems carry large volumes of information across fibre networks and connect different parts of telecom infrastructure.
Developing domestic alternatives across these areas would require more than assembling equipment locally. Companies need to build expertise in semiconductor design, radio-frequency engineering, hardware integration, software, testing and long-term product support. They must also demonstrate that their equipment meets operators’ requirements for performance, reliability, security and cost.
The minister’s remarks did not identify a final list of 10–20 technologies, nor did they establish a deadline for replacing imports. The proposal is best understood as a call to prioritise critical technologies and build domestic capabilities, rather than a completed procurement or import-substitution policy.
Optical Systems, Chipsets and Radio Equipment Are Key Areas
Optical technology is particularly important as mobile networks carry growing volumes of data between radio sites, core networks and data centres. Fibre links, optical transceivers and related systems can affect network capacity, energy consumption and the cost of expanding connectivity. The Bharat 6G Alliance’s October 2026 symposium also released a white paper examining the role of optical technologies in 6G.
Chipsets and radio equipment present a different challenge. They combine complex hardware and software, and must operate reliably across a wide range of network conditions. Domestic development could give Indian suppliers greater control over product roadmaps and create opportunities for local engineering companies, but achieving scale will require sustained research, testing and customer adoption.
Routers and other network components are also part of the broader effort to build trusted infrastructure. For operators, a domestic supplier is valuable only if its equipment can meet deployment requirements and integrate with existing systems. Interoperability, cybersecurity and supply-chain resilience therefore need to be considered alongside the goal of local manufacturing.
The government has also linked its technology priorities with quantum communications, non-terrestrial networks, advanced optical systems, indigenous network cores and telecom security. These areas show that the intended effort extends beyond a single category of 6G radio equipment.
Nearly Rs 500 Crore Has Been Funded for Telecom R&D
The government said nearly 136 research and development projects worth approximately Rs 500 crore had been funded under the Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF). The projects cover 5G, 6G, quantum communications, non-terrestrial networks, advanced optical systems, indigenous core technologies and telecom security.
This existing research base matters because developing new network technologies takes time. Universities and research institutions can work on early-stage designs and testing, while startups and equipment manufacturers can develop those results into products that can be evaluated by telecom operators.
Funding alone does not guarantee commercial success. Research projects must progress through technical validation, integration with network equipment, field trials and procurement before their results can translate into large-scale deployment. The government’s call for industry collaboration and measurable targets suggests that it wants research outcomes to connect more directly with practical requirements.
Global Standards Participation Is a Separate Challenge
The Bharat 6G Alliance, which brings together industry, academia and other stakeholders, is one of the platforms supporting India’s participation in the global 6G ecosystem. At the 3rd International Bharat 6G Symposium, inaugurated on October 8, the alliance announced five memoranda of understanding and released nine working-group white papers.
The new MoUs involved GSMA, the one6G Association, GTI Alliance, the 6G Industry Forum and VoICE. The white papers covered subjects including 6G research and trials, integrated sensing and communication, optical technologies, spectrum readiness beyond 2030, sustainable networks, cellular and Wi-Fi cooperation, enterprise networks and security.
These initiatives can help Indian organisations share research, coordinate with international partners and contribute to discussions on future networks. But signing an MoU or publishing a white paper does not automatically result in a contribution being adopted into a global standard. That requires sustained technical participation and proposals that can withstand scrutiny from other industry and research participants.
The timing is important, too. Nokia India country manager Vibha Mehra told The Economic Times during IMC 2026 that India had roughly 12–18 months to get relevant technology contributions into the global standards process. That is an industry executive’s assessment of the opportunity window, not a formal deadline issued by a standards body.
What India Must Do Next
India’s 6G ambition now needs measurable progress across research, product development and international standardisation. Useful indicators will include the number and quality of Indian technical contributions submitted to standards bodies, the adoption of domestic technologies in commercial network equipment, progress in field trials and the ability of local suppliers to meet operator requirements.
The proposed effort to identify 10–20 critical imported technologies could help focus resources on areas where domestic development would have the greatest strategic value. To be effective, that work will need clear priorities, coordinated funding, industry participation and a route from research to procurement.
For now, the government has articulated a direction rather than demonstrated that the 10% target is within reach. India’s progress will depend on whether its research institutions, telecom operators, equipment makers and technology companies can convert funding and collaboration into inventions, standards contributions and products that are adopted at scale.
