India’s 5G Breakthrough Sets the Stage for 6G Leadership

India’s telecom ambitions just got a major boost. At the recent 3GPP meeting in Prague, a global consortium approved India’s homegrown BPSK uplink waveform—first developed at IIT Hyderabad in 2014—as part of the global 5G standard. This waveform, designed for uplink-heavy applications like HD video, XR, and on-device AI, is now laying the foundation for India’s 6G journey.

 

Key highlights:

 

- The innovation was led by Prof. Kiran Kuchi at IIT-H and supported by WiSig Networks.

- It’s now part of 3GPP Release 17 and is used by global players like Apple, Qualcomm, Ericsson, and Reliance Jio.

- India’s Department of Telecommunications and MeitY backed the project, signaling strong government support.

- IIT-H and WiSig are already working on next-gen technologies like OTFDM and Structural MIMO for 6G.

 

Meanwhile, the Bharat 6G Mission is gaining momentum. The government has funded two national testbeds and approved over 100 research proposals. India aims to contribute 10% of global 6G patents by 2030 and has formed strategic alliances with countries like the US, Germany, and South Korea.

 

At the ET Now Global Business Summit 2025, Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia declared, “We followed the world on 4G, walked with it on 5G, and will lead it on 6G.” With 99% of districts already covered by 5G in just 22 months, India’s next leap is already in motion.

 

Sources: The New Indian Express, Times Now, Press Information Bureau