India's Role in Shaping 6G Standards
India is poised to play a significant role in the development of sixth-generation (6G) telecommunications standards, according to Erik Ekudden, Chief Technology Officer at Ericsson. Speaking on the sidelines of the India Mobile Congress 2026, Ekudden stated that the country is already actively contributing to the global standardization process.
"India is very much part of this, and has a very strong seat at the table providing contributions," Ekudden told Moneycontrol. He noted that inputs from various countries are crucial as the technical specifications for 6G take shape. The industry expects these standards to be finalized around 2029, with commercial products likely to become available the following year.
Leveraging 5G for Future-Proofing
While 6G is on the horizon, Ekudden emphasized that the transition will be gradual. Telecom operators must focus on extracting maximum value from their existing 5G investments while preparing for the shift toward AI-native networks.
He highlighted that the immediate opportunity lies in utilizing advanced 5G capabilities, such as network slicing, which allows operators to provide differentiated connectivity for specific applications. Sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, intelligent manufacturing, and education are already seeing emerging applications. For instance, in healthcare, 5G can connect homecare services, ambulances, and hospitals to create a more integrated medical service delivery model.
Ekudden argued that the business development and application ecosystem built on 5G will lay the groundwork for 6G. This includes innovations in wearables, robotics, humanoids, and physical AI. The next phase of 5G involves embedding AI across radio, core, and transport networks to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and tailor services for consumers, enterprises, and governments.
Ericsson’s Manufacturing and R&D Expansion in India
Beyond standards, Ericsson is deepening its operational footprint in India. The company, which has manufactured telecom equipment in the country since 1994, has recently begun exporting antennas and components. Ekudden revealed that Ericsson has exported approximately nine million units year-to-date.
To further expand production, Ericsson is working to strengthen the domestic supplier ecosystem. "There is a need for more diversity in the supply chain or in the component ecosystem," Ekudden noted. The company maintains a sizable Research and Development presence in Bengaluru, Chennai, and other locations, with India increasingly serving both its domestic market and global operations.
The Future of AI-Native Networks
Ekudden described 6G as a network that will integrate sensing and communications, improve spectrum management, and support AI applications requiring higher uplink capacity and predictable latency. As AI expands into connected devices, vehicles, and robots, edge-based AI inference is expected to improve performance, energy efficiency, and data sovereignty.
Ericsson is currently focusing on AI-ready autonomous networks, utilizing network APIs to enable services such as quality on demand and fraud prevention. These developments aim to prepare operators for an era where artificial intelligence is built into the network architecture from the outset.