DoT looks to find the right signal for 6G research, patents push in India

Planning to collaborate with industry, academia to identify key tech niches for its 6G research in a bid to drive up patent filings

In a bid to drive up patent filings from India and establish dominance in certain segments, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is planning to collaborate with industry and academia to identify key technological niches for its 6G research, officials said. The move is crucial for the Centre's plan for India to contribute at least 10 per cent of global patent filings by 2030.

 

While India has become the sixth-largest patent filer in October last year, the sector remains dominated by China and the US.

 

China currently controls as much as 45 per cent of patents in terahertz communication and 31 per cent in space-air-ground-ocean (SAGO) communication. 6G will leverage terahertz frequency bands to enable data speeds of up to one terabit per second, making it 100 times faster than current 5G networks while SAGO provides seamless connectivity across diverse environments. Similarly, South Korea controls 35 per cent of global patents in Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS) while the US leads with 55 per cent of global filings in deterministic network technologies.

 

“India has taken the lead in some aspects of blockchain and distributed ledger integration. We have to work towards ensuring more domestic patents are filed in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), satellite non-terrestrial networks and quantum communication, among others," an official said. These and other areas have emerged as frontrunners where India may lead, he added.

 

The proposal to carve out niches for India in 6G patent filings had been made in one of the meetings of the technology innovation group on 6G (TIG-6G), constituted by the DoT. This brings together stakeholders from industry, academia, and research organisations. This body is responsible for drafting the road map for India’s 6G development. Six task forces under TIG-6G are working on key focus areas, such as spectrum allocation, device ecosystems, multi-platform networks, research funding, and global standards.

 

A survey conducted by Japanese media company Nikkei and Tokyo-based research company Cyber Creative Institute back in 2021 had found Chinese 6G applications made up 40.3 per cent of the global total, followed closely by the US with a 35.2 per cent share. Japan, Europe and South Korea accounted for 9.9 percent, 8.9 percent, and 4.2 percent of filings, respectively.

 

Over 111 research projects have been funded with a sanction amount of ~300 crore and India now ranks among the top six nations globally in 6G patent filings. India expects a consistent rise in the number of patents being filed in the 6G domain so as to build up significant technological capability as well as allow domestic telcos enough time to familiarise with the potential use cases of 6G in the next few years.

 

"The aim is to ensure India is in a good position on 6G patents by the time the next World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) is held in 2027. India looks to play a major role there," an official said. The WRC will establish the protocols defining the spectrum landscape for 6G, particularly by considering the allocation of specific frequency bands for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT). It will also set the standards for the technology.