From 1 Billion 5G Users to Global 6G Leadership: Scindia Unveils India’s Decade-Long Telecom Roadmap

NEW DELHI — Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia has declared that India is poised to lead the global race in 6G technology, outlining an ambitious roadmap for the nation's telecommunications sector at the 10th edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026.

Speaking at the event's awards ceremony, Scindia emphasized that the country is rapidly transitioning from being a mere "technology taker" to a global "standard setter" in next-generation connectivity.

A cornerstone of this vision is the aggressive expansion of the current 5G ecosystem.

Scindia announced that India aims to double its 5G user base from the current 550 million to a staggering one billion subscribers by the year 2030.

This massive scaling is underpinned by India's status as one of the world's most affordable data markets, creating a fertile ground for rapid digital adoption and innovation.

Looking beyond 5G, the minister highlighted the remarkable progress of the Bharat 6G Alliance, a collaborative initiative involving 90 premier institutions and global partners.

He revealed that the alliance has already established an impressive portfolio of 7,700 patents, of which 4,400 are international patents.

This robust intellectual property foundation positions India not just as a participant, but as a primary architect of future global telecom standards.

Scindia also underscored the government's commitment to building an end-to-end domestic telecom value chain.

By fostering indigenous research, development, and manufacturing, the initiative seeks to reduce reliance on imported hardware and software, thereby enhancing national security and economic resilience.

The minister noted that India's unique combination of "manpower, mobility, and mindset" provides a distinct competitive advantage in this global technological race.

Industry experts view these declarations as a clear signal of India's maturing telecom ecosystem.

The strategic focus on intellectual property creation, coupled with the massive domestic user base, provides Indian tech firms and researchers with unparalleled leverage in international standard-setting bodies like the 3GPP.

As the IMC 2026 concludes, the blueprint laid out by the Communications Minister sets a definitive course for the next decade.

By bridging the gap between ambitious policy goals and grassroots innovation, India is actively engineering its ascent to the pinnacle of the global telecommunications hierarchy.