India Sets Up TIG Panel For Indigenous 6G Development After 5G Rollout

India has created a Technology Innovation Group (TIG) in what would be a fore-runner to a manufacturing and services ecosystem.

The Indian government while announcing the formation of TIG on Monday said it would capitalize on the Sixth Generation technology (6G) opportunity in the telecom sector.

According to India’s Minister for Communication, Ashwini Vaishnaw, the country is poised to launch an indigenously developed 6G network by the end of next year or early 2024.

The Indian authorities added that the indigenous 5G Test bed project funded by the Ministry of Communications Department of Telecom (DoT), has reached its final stages and the project is likely to be completed by December 31, 2021.

While stressing that the indigenous 5G testbed will help in setting up foundation for the development of “6G Technology landscape” in the country, the Ministry of Communications noted on a statement that:

“A 6G Technology Innovation Group is constituted by DoT with the objective to co-create and participate in the development of 6G technology ecosystem through increased participation in a capability description, standards development at international standard-setting bodies. This would be necessary to prepare India’s manufacturing and services ecosystem to capitalise on the 6G opportunity”.

The 6G Technology Innovation Group (TIG) will have in its team members from the Government, Academia, Industry Associations, and TSDSI (Telecom Standards Development Society of India).

At their maiden meeting in November 2021, the members of the TIG proffered future technology needs in different sectors of the economy to enhance India’s contribution to the global value chain.

The Communications Ministry while noting that telecom operators, including Airtel, Jio and Vodafone Idea, have established 5G trials sites in Gurugram, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Delhi, Jamnagar, Ahmadabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Pune and Gandhi Nagar, added that “these metros and big cities would be the first places for the launch of 5G services in the country, next year”.

The task force is hence saddled with the responsibility of making recommendations while mapping of global 6G activities and India’s competencies and potential pre-Standardization activities, the Mission 6G program; Research views on IMT for 2030 and beyond; concerning Networks, Devices, Spectrum, multi-disciplinary innovative solutions.

Analysts in the private sector of the telecom industry believe the commencement of the development process of local 6G development will help in IP or intellectual property created for the Indian telecom ecosystem.