Context: India ranks among the top six countries globally in terms of 6G patent filings. Indigenous 6G development will ensure secure communications, developed and managed within India, and further strengthen the nation's position in the global technology landscape.
Relevance of the Topic: Prelims & Mains: 5G Technology vs 6G Technology.
India’s Rising Role in 6G Technology:
- At the recent Bharat 6G 2025 Conference, the government revealed India’s growing achievements in the 6G space.
- India now ranks among the top six countries globally in terms of 6G patent filings.
- Over 111 research projects have been funded with a sanctioned amount of ₹300 crore.
- Bharat 6G Vision Document was released in 2023 by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). It is a roadmap for India to become a global leader in 6G through indigenous research, international collaboration, and ecosystem development.
Evolution of Mobile Networks
What is 6G?
- 6G stands for the sixth generation of wireless mobile communication technology, expected to be rolled out around 2030.
- It will be far more advanced than 5G in terms of speed, latency, intelligence, and applications.
How is 6G different from 5G ?
| Parameter | 5G | 6G |
| Deployment | Commercial rollout started globally around 2020 | Expected rollout around 2030 (currently in R&D phase) |
| Speed & Latency | Peak data speeds up to 10 Gbps.Latency as low as 1 millisecond.Enabling real-time applications- autonomous vehicles and remote surgeries. | Expected to be 100 times faster, with speeds up to 1 terabit per second (Tbps).Latency below 0.1 milliseconds, enabling near-instantaneous communication. |
| Frequency & Spectrum | 5G operates on sub-6 GHz and millimeter wave (mmWave) bands up to 100 GHz. | 6G will operate in the Terahertz (THz) frequency band (100 GHz to 10 THz), allowing it to carry exponentially more data.But it also demands advanced infrastructure due to short-range and high signal loss. |
| Connectivity density | Supports up to 1 million connected devices per square kilometer. | Aims to connect over 10 million devices per square kilometer, enabling an Internet of Everything- where humans, machines, sensors, and the environment are interconnected in real time. |
| Security and Privacy | Improved cybersecurity through advanced encryption and network segmentation. | Address emerging threats through quantum-resistant cryptography, zero-trust architecture, and enhanced privacy protections, crucial for applications like e-governance and digital identity. |
| Applications and Use Cases | Enables smart cities, high-speed broadband, autonomous vehicles, remote healthcare, and industrial automation. | Support immersive applications like holographic communication, digital twins, tactile internet, precision agriculture, and even space-terrestrial communication. |
| AI / ML Integration | Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are used externally to assist in managing traffic, optimising performance, and detecting faults.However, the network itself is not AI-native. E.g., AI might help predict network congestion or suggest optimal routes for data, but human operators still make many decisions. | AI and ML will be deeply embedded into the network architecture from the beginning.AI will make real-time decisions about routing, security, load balancing, and fault repair without human intervention. E.g., 6G network can detect a cyberattack, isolate it, and reroute traffic instantly, all through AI-driven responses. |
Adoption of 6G Technology is expected to create entirely new industries and revolutionise existing ones, and is expected to contribute Rs 85,37,000 crore (USD 1 trillion) to India's economy by 2035.