Focus Areas - Telecom and IT standardisation
Telecommunications, 5G and 6G Networks: Building inclusive, secure and fast Connections
Telecom and IT standardisation
Context
6G, the sixth generation of wireless communication technology, is expected to become a core infrastructure by the 2030s. It will not merely improve on 5G — it will reshape how societies connect, communicate, and operate. Therefore, the development and deployment of 6G is not just technological, but also about values, trust, and sovereignty. This makes human-centricity a foundational principle of 6G development, ensuring that the technology is designed as a and for public good.
Objectives
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Strengthening collaboration on the deployment of 5G and development of secure 6G Networks.
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Exchanging knowledge between the EU and India on how to build inclusive and reliable networks.
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Including the technical community to share insights, for example on standard setting.
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Establishing a semiconductor corridor to rebalance global supply chains, redefine strategic autonomy, and unlock next-generation tech collaboration.
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Co-creating capacity, capability, and credibility, and supply-chain resilience in semiconductors.
Our Approach
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Personal networks have strong protections around privacy, accessibility, and digital rights,
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Industrial or enterprise networks access precise, secure and performance-specific flexible networks,
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Public services like healthcare or emergency response systems are governed strongly to balance flexibility and innovation with security, privacy, and data sovereignty.
Current State of Cooperation
At the second meeting of the EU-India Trade and Technology Council (TTC), India and the EU welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Bharat 6G Alliance and the EU 6G Smart Networks and Services Industry Association (6G-IA). This partnership aims to align research and development priorities, and explore collaboration opportunities on vision for 6G, requirements on 6G, architecture and use cases, identification of common interests, building of consensus and collaboration to support development of globally harmonised standards for Beyond 5G and 6G and promoting cooperation among European and Indian R&D organizations and industries.
Key Areas for Further Collaboration
- Facilitating the exchange and building of technical knowledge and best practices between both the EU and India.
- Ensuring the environment, security, and privacy are accounted for in the development and deployment of 6G.
- Disseminating 6G for industrial and private use in an inclusive manner to improve economic performance and social wellbeing.
- Engaging stakeholders in structured formats to involve different public and private stakeholders in advising on the development and deployment of new network technologies.
Moving Forward
- Formalise structured dialogues on 6G technologies under the TTC, ensuring coordinated progress on research, standards, and spectrum policy.
- Facilitate knowledge exchange through expert workshops, delegation visits, and industry–academia partnerships to build a shared understanding of 6G opportunities and risks.
- Promote inclusive and responsible 6G innovation by engaging startups, SMEs, and think tanks in collaborative research and policymaking.
