India’s 6G Leap: How the Bharat 6G Symposium 2025 Put Startups at the Heart of the Next Connectivity Revolution

When the curtains lifted at the International Bharat 6G Symposium 2025 in New Delhi, the mood inside the venue wasn’t just one of anticipation — it was of ambition. The event, a flagship part of the 9th India Mobile Congress (IMC), marked a defining moment in India’s journey to shape the future of global connectivity.

For years, India has been seen as one of the world’s fastest adopters of telecom revolutions — from the massive expansion of 4G networks to the rapid, record-breaking rollout of 5G. But this time, the conversation has moved beyond adoption. India is aiming to create the next wave — with 6G.

And unlike earlier technological shifts, this one has a new protagonist — startups.

India’s 6G Vision: Building the Future, Not Just Catching Up

Inaugurated by Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Minister of Communications and Development of North Eastern Region, the symposium was organized in collaboration with the Bharat 6G Alliance (B6GA) — a body that has emerged as the nerve center of India’s 6G ambitions.

Scindia set the tone early on. “India has built a future-ready policy and spectrum framework enabling timely allocation of even the terahertz band to support next-generation networks,” he said, underscoring how policy foresight is aligning with innovation on the ground.

He spoke passionately about India’s evolution from a telecom consumer to a creator — citing milestones such as indigenous 4G and 5G stacks, Open RAN prototypes for 6G, and PLI-backed sovereign capabilities.

At the heart of this vision lies the Bharat 6G Alliance, uniting over 80 organizations and 30 startups, all working on what Scindia described as “AI-native networks and cross-sector applications” spanning agriculture, healthcare, smart cities, and sustainability.

The minister also introduced the “6G Innovation Hexacon” — a framework built on six transformative pillars: immersive communications, massive connectivity, hyper-reliable low-latency communication, ubiquitous access, AI-native networking, and integrated sensing and communication.
These aren’t just buzzwords — they’re the blueprint for India’s roadmap to not just adapt to the future, but design it.

Startups Take the Spotlight

If 5G was about infrastructure, 6G is about intelligence — and India’s startup ecosystem is ready to drive it.

Over 30 startups have already joined hands under the Bharat 6G Alliance, developing indigenous hardware, software, and AI-driven network solutions. The IMC theme, “Innovate to Transform,” perfectly captured this transition — from connectivity to capability.

Rajesh Kumar Pathak, Director General of the Bharat 6G Alliance, called it a defining moment for India’s deep-tech entrepreneurs.
“Guided by the Prime Minister’s vision of India’s leadership in 6G, we are accelerating a roadmap to make our innovations secure, resilient, and globally transformative,” he said.

To fuel that roadmap, the Alliance announced new Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) — including one with NASSCOM and another with the European Satellite Agency. These collaborations open new frontiers for research, funding, and global partnerships — especially for Indian startups aiming to take their innovations beyond domestic markets.

A Global Stage for Collaboration

India’s 6G ambition isn’t unfolding in isolation. The Symposium saw participation from global telecom leaders, researchers, and policymakers — underlining the world’s recognition of India as a key voice in next-generation connectivity.

From Vivek Badrinath (GSMA) to Prof. David Koilpillai (IIT Madras), Dr. Magnus Frodigh (Hexa-X), Prof. Harald Haas (Future Telecoms UK), and Dr. Hosako Iwao (NICT, Japan) — the lineup reflected a truly international exchange of ideas.

Badrinath summed up the moment succinctly, “India is shaping the future of connectivity. Used cases of 6G will emerge quickly given how fast India rolled out 5G. Unlocking 6G potential requires future-focused policies, industry transparency, and inclusive digital access.”

Magnus Ewerbring, CTO of Ericsson APAC, echoed a similar sentiment, “We are preparing networks not just for today, but for the unknown possibilities of 2040 and beyond. The next generation must be intelligent, energy-efficient, and capable of seamlessly handling billions of connected devices.”

The symposium also showcased growing enthusiasm for cross-border partnerships, with Dr. Mallik Tatipamula, CTO of Ericsson Silicon Valley, highlighting India’s expanding collaborations with the US and UK in developing next-gen networks.

From Vision to Research: The White Papers That Will Shape 6G

Beyond the speeches and announcements, the Symposium delivered a powerful intellectual push with the release of four new White Papers by the Bharat 6G Alliance Working Groups.

These publications, the result of months of coordinated R&D, map out India’s strategic 6G priorities in areas such as:

• Spectrum roadmap for 6G in India

• Green and sustainable 6G technologies

• 6G data architecture, security, and RF sensing

• AI in network evolution to 5G Advanced and 6G

Each of these documents acts as a playbook for startups, research institutions, and telecom innovators eager to align their R&D with India’s national and global 6G vision.

Why India’s 6G Push Matters

India’s 6G pursuit isn’t just about speed — it’s about sovereignty, sustainability, and scalability.
The Bharat 6G Vision 2030 emphasizes a future where connectivity is inclusive, secure, and environmentally conscious. With a focus on indigenous development, India aims to ensure that future telecom innovations not only serve its billion-plus citizens but also become exportable technologies for the world.

At the same time, the growing participation of startups signals a deep shift in India’s innovation culture — where homegrown entrepreneurs are co-creating solutions with global relevance.

Leading the Next Wave of Connectivity

As the International Bharat 6G Symposium 2025 concluded, one thing became abundantly clear — India is no longer following global telecom trends; it’s setting them.

With its blend of policy foresight, startup energy, and collaborative global partnerships, India is positioning itself as both an innovator and a thought leader in 6G.

In the coming years, as 6G begins to shape how the world communicates, collaborates, and connects, the seeds sown at IMC 2025 will likely define much of that future — and India, powered by its startups and alliances, will be right at the center of it.