India joins US-led global initiative to shape next-generation 6G networks

Washington, DC: India has joined the United States and 24 other nations in a global initiative to guide the development and deployment of next-generation 6G telecommunications networks, the US Department of Commerce announced on Monday.

In a post on X, the Department noted that the agreement was finalised following a bilateral meeting between US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada on the sidelines of the G20 Innovation Ministerial.

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"Secretary Lutnick met with Indian Minister of State for Commerce Jitin Prasada on the sidelines of the G20 Innovation Ministerial to discuss the future of 6G. Today, we are pleased to announce that India has joined the U.S. and 24 other countries in the effort to ensure that next generation networks reflect our shared security interests, strengthen our competitiveness, and drive innovation in 6G," the US Department of Commerce wrote.

This comes as Union Minister of State (MoS) Jitin Prasada led the Indian delegation at the G20 Innovation Ministers' meeting held on September 1 and September 2 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States (US), hosted by the US Department of Commerce and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).

According to the Ministry of Electronics and IT, the MoS was accompanied by Ajit Kumar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), senior officials from MeitY, Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), as well as officials of the Embassy of India in the US.

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At the conclusion of the Ministerial, the G20 Ministers released the Innovation Ministerial Statement recognising that "emerging technologies have the potential to unlock prosperity, enhance productivity, and expand opportunity for all our peoples."

On the sidelines of the G20 Ministerial, Prasada held several bilateral discussions.

In the bilateral discussion with Howard Lutnick, US Secretary of Commerce, both sides exchanged views on strengthening cooperation across Semiconductors, AI and Data Centres. During the meeting, MoS also encouraged the possibility of more US investments in ISM2.0, proposed strengthening AI technology partnership and shared a mechanism for safeguards for AI.

Highlighting his meeting with Lutnick, Prasada wrote in a post on X that the discussion centred on advancing critical sectors that form the foundation of the modern technological landscape.

"Semiconductors. AI. Data centres. These are critical building blocks of the emerging digital economy," Prasada stated on X.

He further noted that both sides examined avenues to deepen practical collaboration.

"In my bilateral discussion with Mr. Howard Lutnick, US Secretary of Commerce, we exchanged views on strengthening cooperation across these areas and advancing technology-led opportunities between India and the United States," he added. "Thanked the US G20 Presidency for the warm hospitality."

The engagements during the visit underscored India's growing role in shaping the global technology and innovation agenda and reaffirmed its commitment to building strategic partnerships that translate advances in AI, semiconductors, DPI, robotics and other emerging technologies into greater opportunities for innovation, economic growth and an improved quality of life for its citizens.