MoS Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani calls for Design-led Innovation and Deeper Industry Role to Shape 6G Future

Mumbai :  The COAI DigiCom Summit 2026, the 2nd of the DigiCom Series by COAI, commenced today with Government officials, regulators and industry leaders calling for a secure, resilient and innovation-driven digital ecosystem, underpinned by next-generation telecom networks and emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and 5G.

The event kickstarted with the inaugural session which witnessed participation from key leaders from the Government and Industry, including the Chief Guest Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, Hon’ble Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development along with Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman, TRAI; Mr. Abhijit Kishore, CEO, Vodafone Idea and Chairperson, COAI; Mr. Julian Gorman, Head of APAC, GSMA; Mr. Nitin Bansal, Managing Director, Ericsson India; Mr. Ashwani Khillan, Chief Operating Officer, Altius Telecom Infrastructure Trust; Mr. Rahul Vatts, Chief Regulatory Officer, Bharti Airtel and Vice Chairperson, COAI; as well as Lt. Gen. Dr. S.P. Kochhar, Director General, COAI.

The Summit, themed “India’s Techade: Accelerating and Shaping the Digital Future,” has brought together policymakers, telecom operators, global technology leaders, academia and innovators to deliberate on key challenges and opportunities shaping India’s digital trajectory. The event is positioned as a high-level platform to align policy direction, industry priorities and technological advancements in building a future-ready digital ecosystem.

In his inaugural address, Hon’ble Minister of State for Communications, Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, expressed, “India’s telecom sector stands at an inflection point, shaped by strong Government policy support and industry-led investments. Over the last decade, we have seen a transformative journey driven by reforms in spectrum management, right of way and a modern regulatory framework. This progress reflects a partnership between the Government and the Industry, enabling scale, affordability and global competitiveness. The industry has responded with massive investments, including a rapid 5G rollout in just 22 months and one of the highest data usage levels globally. I request operators and manufacturers to focus on design-led manufacturing, build export-grade testing and certification facilities, and form joint ventures with global technology leaders for design, IP and talent development. As AI, 6G, and Quantum Communications evolve, the next phase must focus on design-led manufacturing and deeper R&D participation, so that India helps write global standards.”

Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman, TRAI said, “India’s telecom sector has, over the years, delivered connectivity at a scale and affordability that is globally unparalleled. This achievement has been possible due to a combination of progressive policies, regulatory certainty and sustained investment by the industry. Over the last 10 years, the mobile network has grown more than 4.5 times and today, includes one of the largest 5G deployments. While capacity augmentation continues, availability of ubiquitous coverage is increasingly the expectation of consumers. Our ongoing efforts include recommending spectrum enhancements, developing regulatory frameworks for indoor connectivity and digital consent, and leveraging AI for spam prevention to ensure robust infrastructure and consumer protection.”

Mr. Abhijit Kishore, CEO, Vodafone Idea and Chairperson, COAI said, “India’s telecom sector continues to anchor the nation’s digital transformation through connectivity at scale and globally unmatched affordability. Policy certainty and regulatory stability remain critical, as long-term infrastructure investments require a predictable framework that recognizes both capital intensity and the sector’s strategic economic role, alongside continued constructive engagement between the Government, the Regulators and the Industry. Looking ahead, the sector must prepare for the next generation of connectivity, where future technologies will demand not just technological readiness but also alignment on standards, spectrum strategy and broader ecosystem development.”

Lt. Gen. Dr. S.P. Kochhar, Director General, COAI expressed, “Telecom today is not just about connectivity; it is a value-added horizontal powering sectors such as finance, healthcare, governance and enterprise. As we move into the next phase of India’s digital journey, the focus must shift to building intelligent, secure and resilient networks anchored in trust and collaboration. This is the second edition of the DIGICOM summit. We have been able to curate a unique event, and the best brains of the telecom industry have gathered to shed light on how techade belongs to India.”

Mr. Rahul Vatts, Chief Regulatory Officer, Bharti Airtel and Vice Chairperson, COAI said, “We are at a pivotal moment where trust, resilience and innovation are becoming central priorities for the industry. There is clear recognition of the progress made in strengthening the regulatory and policy environment. At the same time, the industry remains committed to advancing R&D, enhancing customer experience, and building more resilient networks. As AI begins to reshape the sector, stakeholders are geared to adapt and lead this transformation. Continued collaboration across the ecosystem will be critical in taking the industry forward.”

Mr. Nitin Bansal, Managing Director, Ericsson India opined, “As India advances its digital journey, networks must be secure, resilient and intelligent. The country has achieved one of the fastest 5G rollouts, with strong infrastructure and high data consumption. Going forward, 5G will act as critical infrastructure supporting advanced applications. Technologies such as AI, cloud and 5G will drive digitalization, with industrial automation emerging as a key opportunity. The focus now is on building intelligent networks to support future growth.”

Mr. Julian Gorman, Head of APAC, GSMA, highlighted India’s global role: “India’s digital transformation has reached a decisive phase, with mobile networks enabling digital public infrastructure and innovation at scale. However, for 6G leadership to be credible, 5G must evolve beyond consumer speeds into an engine of industry transformation. With nearly 47% still offline, closing the usage gap and building trust will be critical to achieving inclusive and globally competitive digital growth.”

Mr. Ashwani Khillan, Chief Operating Officer, Altius Telecom Infrastructure Trust said, “India’s digital transformation is the outcome of a strong and well-aligned ecosystem, where progressive policy, a dynamic operator landscape and robust telecom infrastructure have worked in tandem over the last three decades. From enabling seamless digital services like UPI and e-commerce to building one of the world’s largest 5G networks, the sector has fundamentally reshaped how India lives and works. Looking ahead, as technologies like AI and 6G take shape, telecom infrastructure will remain central to powering the next phase of inclusive, digital growth for the country.”

Discussions during the inaugural session focused on key themes including artificial intelligence-led networks, tackling spam and digital fraud, advancing 5G and preparing for 6G technologies, and strengthening digital infrastructure and manufacturing ecosystems. The DigiCom Summit 2026 features multiple sessions on network resilience, regulatory frameworks, next-generation connectivity and digital infrastructure, with participation from policymakers, industry leaders and global experts over the course of the day.