India joins US and 24 countries to shape next-gen 6G networks

Washington: India has officially partnered with the United States and 24 other countries to collaborate on the development and deployment of next-generation 6G telecommunications infrastructure. The announcement came from the US Department of Commerce following high-level talks.

The alliance was finalised during a bilateral session between US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and India’s Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada, organised alongside the G20 Innovation Ministerial.

In a statement published on X, the US Department of Commerce noted, “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 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.”
 

Prasada headed the Indian delegation at the G20 Innovation Ministers’ gathering, held in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and co-hosted by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) together with the US Department of Commerce.

The delegation included key Indian representatives, such as MeitY Joint Secretary Ajit Kumar, alongside senior officials from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), the Department of Science and Technology (DST), and the Embassy of India in Washington.

At the summit's close, participating officials released the official Innovation Ministerial Statement, acknowledging that “emerging technologies have the potential to unlock prosperity, enhance productivity, and expand opportunity for all our peoples”.

During their bilateral meeting, Prasada and Lutnick explored deeper economic ties in critical areas like AI, data centers, and semiconductor fabrication. Prasada advocated for increased US investment in India's ISM2.0 program, proposed a expanded AI technology alliance, and presented a framework for artificial intelligence safety protocols.

Sharing details of the session on X, Prasada remarked, “Semiconductors. AI. Data centres. These are critical building blocks of the emerging digital economy.”
 

He added, “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. Thanked the US G20 Presidency for the warm hospitality.”

The delegation's visit highlights India's expanding influence in international technology governance, demonstrating its drive to convert developments in AI, digital public infrastructure (DPI), robotics and semiconductors into sustained economic prosperity.

ANI