Workshop on 6G-A review

The Bharat 6G mission aims to position India as a technology producer from mere a technology consumer, Smt Meenakshi Agarwal, Scientist ’D’, MeitY. Smt Agarwal was speaking at the Workshop on 6G: Technology, Standards and Regulation organised at International Institute of Information Technology, Bangalore (IIIT-Bangalore) in partnership with CUTS International.

Smt Agarwal said that spearheaded by entities like the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the Department of Science and Technology (DST), and others, the government is aiming to secure 10% of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) in 6G. She also emphasised that focus is being put upon enhancing privacy and cybersecurity regulations, and energy-efficient technologies.

Dr Debabrata Das, Director, IIIT-Bangalore, welcoming the audience at the workshop, said that the standards, technology, and regulation constitute the crucial pillars of 6G technology. He said that the evolution from human-to-machine communication in 5G to machine-to-machine communication is a paradigm shift. However, deploying 6G technology poses significant challenges, requiring meticulous attention to standards to overcome the complexities associated with advancements in telecommunication. He also lauded India’s announcement of the Bharat 6G vision and India’s active participation in international standards bodies such as International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

With this background, Prof. V Sridhar of IIIT Bangalore, shared findings of the project being undertaken jointly by CUTS, IIIT Bangalore and Australian Risk Policy Institute (ARPI) titled “Ethical 6G: Identifying Elements of Ethical and Regulatory Framework for 6G and Creating Opportunities for India and Australia”. He highlighted that with features like high-frequency communication and the Internet of Nano Things, zero-trust systems become crucial for safeguarding in 6G. Lauding the introduction of right of way provisions in the new Telecom Act, he said that this provision may address challenges related to backhaul capacity and fiberisation.

Mr. Bharat Bhatia, President, ITU APT Foundation of India remarked that the ITU has recently formulated a vision for the 6G framework. Emphasising on the huge investments required for the 6G standardisation, he remarked that there is a need for substantial governmental investment to be part of the global standard making process and contribute to shaping the future of 6G technology.

Mr. Ujjwal Kumar, Associate Director, CUTS International, further added that the 6G technology tends to converge telecom, cyber, and digital technologies, necessitating a comprehensive regulatory and ethical framework. This includes cybersecurity, privacy, data protection, consumer protection, competition, trust-building, inclusivity, and environmental sustainability considerations.

Lauding India’s efforts to get the vision of ubiquitous connectivity included in the ITU framework, the speakers underscored India’s unique scenario with around 60% rural population and vast geographical expanse. Ubiquitous connectivity promises to extend reach to remote areas and aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Addressing regulatory aspects, the speakers endorsed a whole-of-government approach and a participative regulatory design with diverse stakeholders. This inclusive approach has to cover issues like competition, data protection, net neutrality, access, aiming to democratise the digital space.

Further, stakeholder cooperation involving end consumers, civil society, and private players is crucial for a trustworthy digital ecosystem. The private sector should also hold responsibility, requiring emphasis on ethics in technology development and deployment to establish trust. The workshop concluded with the speakers stressing on a comprehensive regulatory approach, advocating against siloed regulation.

Other speakers in the workshop included Dr Milind Gandhe, CEO COMET Foundation, IIIT-Bangalore; Dr Ekant Sharma, Professor, IIT-Roorkee; Dr Amrita Mishra, Professor, IIIT-Bangalore; Mr Jishnu Aravindakshan, Principal Product Architect, Tejas Networks; Ms Payal Malik, Professor, ICRIER; Ms Isha Suri, Centre for Internet and Society; Ms. Amrita Choudhury, Cyber Cafe Association of India (CCAOI); and Dr Rohit Prasad, Professor, MDI Gurgaon.

CT Bureau