India joins US-led initiative to develop secure 6G networks

India has joined a US-led global partnership aimed at accelerating the development of secure 6G wireless networks, the US Department of Commerce said.

The initiative brings together countries including the United Kingdom, Germany and Japan and seeks to coordinate national strategies on 6G well ahead of the technology's expected rollout as a successor to 5G networks in the 2030s.

“Today, we are pleased to announce that India has joined the US 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 Department of Commerce said in a post on X on Monday.

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Minister of State for Commerce Jitin Prasada discussed the future of 6G on the sidelines of the G20 Innovation Ministerial held in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, last week.

“India's joint effort with the United States and 24 other countries to promote innovation and competition in 6G technology will give a new direction to the global digital landscape,” Prasada said in a post on X.

In July, the US government launched the “Call to Action for 6G Leadership and Security”, with the backing of 24 other countries across Europe, the Americas and the Asia-Pacific.

The initiative, led by the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), seeks to advance the objectives outlined in US President Donald Trump's “Winning the 6G Race” Presidential Memorandum issued in December 2025.

The memorandum identified 6G networks as foundational to US national security, foreign policy and economic prosperity.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi released India's 6G Vision document on March 22, 2023, setting out an ambition for the country to become a frontline contributor to the design, development and deployment of 6G technology by 2030.