India and the US are keen to collaborate on development of the next-gen telecom standards including 6G.

In a joint statement after the ministerial level meeting of the India-US Commercial Dialogue in New Delhi on Friday (10 March), both the countries expressed a shared interest in exploring collaboration based on mutual trust and confidence.

The statement added that furthering the "economic integration of like-minded countries that share democratic values will bolster transparency, resilience, and security in global supply chains and boost economic prosperity in both countries, as well as the Indo-Pacific region".

The meeting was co-chaired by Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.

While continuing to work on a range of digital trade issues in the U.S.-India Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Working Group and the Trade Policy Forum, both sides recognised the importance of cross border data flow in accordance with applicable domestic policies and legal frameworks.

Both sides intend to continue engaging on cross border data flows and other relevant issues, including in appropriate multilateral fora, the statement said.

"Both Ministers also expressed interest in working together in developing next generation standards in telecommunications, including 6G. They anticipate efforts to include cooperation between relevant government agencies, standards organisations, and industry bodies," the statement said.

Finally, both sides intend to further work together in validation and deployment of trusted and secure next generation telecom network equipment, including Open RAN, as well as in subsequent generations of telecommunications infrastructure, it added.

Earlier in February, Quad - a grouping of Australia, India, Japan and the United States - asserted that telecom security is a core function of national security, and said that the grouping would work to ensure "security-by-design and best practices of cyber security" are incorporated in next gen mobile telephony technologies.

In a joint statement after the meeting of the Quad Senior Cyber Group in New Delhi on 30 and 31 January, the group discussed the importance of utilising "trusted vendors" in telecommunications infrastructure.

The move is as part of the group's shared commitment to promote safe, resilient networks and technologies, including through exploration of open and interoperable network solutions which are occurring in each of and among our countries, according to the statement.

"These efforts demonstrate the Quad’s commitment to building regional capacity and ensuring the delivery of an open and secure telecommunications infrastructure in the Indo-Pacific," it said.

Further, the group said that telecom security is a core function of National security.

"Working in conjunction with Quad CET Working Group, the Group will strive to ensure security-by-design and best practices of cyber security are incorporated in ORAN and 6G technologies," it said.

The Group's announcement came amid concerns that China is ramping up efforts on 6G research and development to seize the high ground in the field and cultivate an industrial base.

Chinese tech giant Huawei, which has been under heavy scrutiny worldwide since US imposed sanctions on the company on the national security grounds during Trump administration, started work on 6G technology in 2019.

China also has the most 6G patents in the world, according to a survey of 20,000 applications by Nikkei and the Cyber Create Institute.

China had 40.3 per cent of the 6G filings, mainly focused on 6G infrastructure and primarily filed by Huawei and state-run companies such as State Grid Corporation of China and China Aerospace Science and Technology.

Huawei is the dominant player in the global telecom equipment market and is the leading provider of fifth generation mobile technology.

US and several other countries have banned use of Huawei's equipment in their telecom networks in recent years on national security grounds, saying the company violated international sanctions and stolen intellectual property, and that it could commit cyber espionage on behalf of Chinese Communist Party, the sole ruling party of China.

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