100 5G labs set up across India to boost 6G research ecosystem: Govt

India has set up 100 5G labs across the country to develop use cases and enhance the 6G research and development ecosystem, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) said on Wednesday.

The government’s collaborative platform Bharat 6G Alliance has also signed 10 international collaborations with global 6G bodies, aiming for a 10 percent share of global 6G patents by 2030, an official statement said.

Neeraj Mittal, Secretary (Telecom), made these comments as DoT led the thematic session on ‘Digital Communication’ at the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave here.

Mittal emphasised that is the bedrock of all productive activity and that India’s telecom revolution has a direct bearing on national economic growth, adding that India has achieved one of the fastest 5G rollouts globally.

The 100 5G labs will position the nation for leadership in 6G technologies, he said. Mittal highlighted that the Government’s approach to next-generation communication is multi-pronged, supporting research and development, encouraging domestic manufacturing, and building strong bridges between academia, industry, and government.

He informed that over 100 R&D projects dedicated to 6G are currently being supported, with a focus on advancing Open RAN, indigenous chipsets, AI-based intelligent networks, and regulatory sandboxes to foster innovation.

The event featured discussions on private networks and India’s telecom goals from industry leaders, and a panel discussion on advancing indigenous technologies.

The panel also explored extending the 5G ecosystem in India, advancing indigenous PNT through the NavIC L1 signal, and building disruptive technology stacks from D2M to 6G.

‘ESTIC 2025’ took place from November 3 to 5, attracting over 3,000 participants from academia, research institutions, industry and government, along with Nobel laureates, eminent scientists, innovators and policymakers.

(With inputs from IANS)