Bharat 6G Vision Document

Syllabus: GS2/ Governance, GS3/ Science and Technology

Context

• The Bharat 6G Vision envisaged India to be a frontline contributor in design, development and deployment of 6G technology by 2030.

What is 6G (sixth-generation wireless)?

• The 6G has been conceived as a far superior technology promising internet speeds up to 100 times faster than 5G.
• As opposed to 5G, which at its peak can offer internet speeds up to 10 gigabits per second, 6G promises to offer ultra-low latency with speeds up to 1 terabits per second.
• The 6G Technology has been named ‘IMT 2030’ by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
  • The frequency bands 4400-4800 MHz, 7125-8400 MHz (or parts thereof), and 14.8-15.35 GHz are being studied in ITU for the use of international Mobile Telecommunications (IMT). 

Bharat 6G Vision

• The government plans to implement the 6G project in two phases;
  • Phase 1 from 2023-2025 (2 years): In Phase 1, support will be provided to explorative ideas, risky pathways, and proof-of-concept tests.  
  • Phase 2 from 2025-2030 (5 years): In Phase 2 there is conceptualization and commercialization of technology solutions.
• Use cases of 6G include remote-controlled factories, constantly communicating self-driven cars and smart wearables taking inputs directly from human senses.

Benefits of 6G Vision

• The technology 6G will enable advancements in sectors like;
  • Healthcare: Telemedicine, robotic surgeries, AI-based diagnostics.
  • Agriculture: Smart monitoring, precision farming using IoT sensors.
  • Education: Real-time immersive learning through AR/VR technologies.
• Industrial Automation: Leveraging Industry 4.0 with enhanced Machine-to-Machine communication, Digital Twins, and IoT for smart industries.

Challenges

• There is a need for R&D investments with a focus on semiconductors, AI processors, and advanced SoCs.
• There are concerns related to cybersecurity and privacy in a hyper-connected network environment.

Recommendations to enable Bharat 6G Mission

• Participation to global standards forums to ensure interoperability and global reach of our innovation,
• Space-Terrestrial Integration for ubiquitous coverage,
• Innovative funding mechanisms to support industry, startups, academia, and national laboratories to undertake R&D,
• Shared use of spectrum, particularly in the higher frequency bands.

Concluding remarks

• Bharat 6G Mission is fully aligned with the national Vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
• It also ensures that India takes its rightful place in the world as a leading supplier of advanced telecom technologies and solutions that are affordable and contribute to the global good.

Source: PIB