NTP 2025 to help India take early lead in 6G

Amitoj Arya, Partner, EY Parthenon, is a strategy and operations advisor specialising in the telecom and media sector. In an interview with DH’s Gyanendra Keshri, Arya discusses the new telecom policy and its expected impact on the industry.

Excerpts: 

What is your opinion on the draft NTP, 2025?

The policy is directionally strong and execution-oriented, with six clear missions for 2030: universal connectivity, innovation, domestic manufacturing, secure networks, ease of doing business, and sustainability.

It sets measurable targets, such as 100% 4G and 90% 5G coverage, 100 million fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) households, one million public Wi-Fi hotspots, 80% tower fiberization, and a top 20 ICT Development Index ranking. The policy takes a balanced technology approach, preparing for 5G-Advanced and 6G networks, non-terrestrial networks (NTN), edge/cloud integration, SDN (Software Defined Networking), NFV (Network Function Virtualisation) and forward-looking spectrum planning.

What kind of impact the new policy is likely to have on the industry?

The new policy will benefit operators and internet service providers by easing investment barriers through streamlined Right-of-Way (RoW) processes and deemed approvals, while supporting diversified access models like fixed wireless access, public Wi-Fi, and satellite connectivity. Monetisation prospects will grow via private 5G and CNPNs, backed by industrial low-latency applications, alongside stricter quality-of-service norms and transparent coverage metrics.

For satcom and NTN players, alignment with the Indian Space Policy, GSaaS enablement, SATCOM labs, and NTN–terrestrial convergence will unlock new business models. Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) will benefit from capex incentives, design-led support, mutual recognition arrangements and boosting local value addition. Startups, R&D, and security providers will see opportunities in technology readiness level funding, sandboxes, quantum-safe security, and AI-driven fraud detection, while consumers and enterprises gain from affordability, better coverage, and faster grievance resolution.

The draft policy sets a target to have Rs 1 lakh crore annual investments till 2030. Where will the money come from?

The draft NTP-2025 highlights several priority areas requiring sustained capital to achieve its 2030 ambitions. These include last-mile connectivity expansion through rural and urban network rollout, accelerated deployment of fixed wireless access, FTTH, improved indoor coverage, and BharatNet upgrades to connect village institutions. Further capital will be needed for domestic manufacturing zones, testing and certification facilities, export readiness, and enhanced network security. To finance these, the policy can target Rs 1 lakh crore annually from private sector Capex, public and blended finance via Digital Bharat Nidhi, and export/institutional capital, leveraging incentives and IPR-based funding to drive scale and innovation.

How will it prepare India for the 6G?

The policy positions India to take an early lead in 6G by aligning spectrum and standards’ development from the outset. It outlines plans for timely release of IMT, mmWave, and sub-THz bands, backed by a dynamic national spectrum roadmap and active engagement in global standards development organisations to secure a meaningful share of 6G-related intellectual property. This is complemented by a strong R&D and talent pipeline, with funding for advanced 5G/6G research, regulatory sandboxes, THz experimentation, and initiatives such as the Bharat 6G Alliance and the Indian Institute of Telecom Technology (IIT2) aimed at creating a highly skilled workforce.