Indian PM launches 6G technology test bed

NEW DELHI, March 22 (Xinhua) -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the Bharat next-generation 6G vision document and rolled out a 6G technology test bed on Wednesday.

Modi made the announcement while inaugurating the new International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Area office and innovation center in New Delhi.

ITU is the United Nations' specialised agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs). Headquartered in Geneva, it has a network of field offices, regional offices and area offices.

The ITU center in India will serve India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Afghanistan and Iran, enhancing coordination among nations and fostering mutually beneficial economic cooperation in the region, the Indian Prime Minister's Office said.

"India is discussing 6G just six months after the 5G rollout," Modi said. "The vision document presented today will become a major basis for the 6G rollout in the next few years."

Modi said the Bharat 6G Vision Document and 6G Test Bed will provide an enabling environment for innovation, capacity building and faster technology adoption in the South Asian country.

The prime minister also launched the "Call before u Dig" App that will connect excavators and asset owners so that there are planned excavations in India while ensuring the safety of underground assets like optical fibre cables.