India Launches Centre of Excellence for 6G at IITM Research Park

Chennai: Dr. Neeraj Mittal, Secretary (Telecom), inaugurated the new Centre of Excellence on “Classical and Quantum Communications for 6G” at the IITM Research Park in Chennai today. This new sub-centre under the Telecom Centres of Excellence (TCoE)-India is set to lead the development and deployment of 6G technology, promising revolutionary advancements in speed, latency, and connectivity.

Sanjeev Kumar Bidwai, Sp DGT of Tamil Nadu, was among the distinguished attendees at the inauguration ceremony. The Centre of Excellence aims to be a hub for innovation, bringing together academic and industry experts to drive forward the next generation of communication technologies.

In his address, Dr. Mittal highlighted the strategic importance of the centre and outlined plans for a comprehensive three-day workshop. This workshop will gather selected research proposals, enabling participants to collaborate and integrate their efforts on 6G technology. By fostering collaboration, the initiative seeks to maximize the impact of research and development activities and ensure that projects benefit from shared expertise and resources.

“The establishment of this centre marks a significant milestone in our journey towards 6G technology,” said Dr. Mittal. “It will serve as a pivotal platform for advancing research and innovation, shaping the standards and infrastructure needed for 6G networks worldwide.”

The new centre will also enhance connectivity with the existing 5G Test Bed at IIT Madras, which was developed through a collaborative project involving eight institutes and funded by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). The 5G Test Bed, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May 2022, has been instrumental in testing new 5G products and use cases.

The initiative aligns with India’s “Bharat 6G Vision,” unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 23, 2023. This vision aims to position India as a leading player in the design, development, and deployment of 6G technology by 2030. The Bharat 6G Vision focuses on affordability, sustainability, and ubiquity, ensuring that India remains at the forefront of advanced telecom solutions.

6G technology, referred to as ‘IMT 2030’ by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), is expected to bring significant improvements over current 5G capabilities. The IMT-2030 framework, approved by ITU in June 2023, outlines 15 key capabilities for 6G, including enhanced security, resilience, and connectivity. The framework will guide global research and development efforts for 6G.

Under the Bharat 6G Vision, the Department of Telecommunications has funded two next-generation testbeds to advance research in the 6G ecosystem. The DoT is also evaluating 470 proposals focused on accelerated research in this field.