ICEA Welcomes Government’s Decision to Delicense Lower 6 GHz Band, Applauds Progressive and Future-Ready Spectrum Policy

New Delhi, 21st January 2026 : The India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA) welcomes the Government of India’s decision to delicense the lower 6 GHz spectrum band, describing it as a landmark, forward-looking reform that will significantly enhance India’s digital infrastructure, innovation ecosystem, and global competitiveness in next-generation wireless technologies.

ICEA congratulates the entire electronics, telecommunications, and digital ecosystem on this important policy decision and extends its sincere appreciation to the Hon’ble Minister of Communications and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for their decisive leadership and timely intervention. The delicensing of the lower 6 GHz band is expected to unlock the next phase of high-capacity wireless connectivity in India, enabling the deployment of advanced Wi-Fi technologies and paving the way for future innovations.

This move will be critical in addressing India’s rapidly growing data consumption, supporting dense indoor and enterprise environments, and enabling emerging use cases including Industry 4.0, smart manufacturing, digital healthcare, smart campuses, and the expansion of digital public infrastructure. Affordable, high-throughput, and low-latency Wi-Fi is increasingly becoming the backbone of India’s digital economy, complementing mobile networks and strengthening last-mile connectivity across sectors.

ICEA has consistently engaged with the Government on this issue and had submitted multiple representations to the Department of Telecommunications and the Hon’ble Minister of Communications, strongly recommending the delicensing of the lower 6 GHz band in line with global best practices. Several advanced economies have already opened this band for unlicensed use, recognising its critical role in enabling innovation, reducing network congestion, and ensuring efficient spectrum utilisation. India’s decision places it firmly alongside these global leaders and reinforces its commitment to adopting internationally harmonised and technology-neutral spectrum policies.

Mr. Pankaj Mohindroo, Chairman, India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA), said:
“The Government’s decision to delicense the lower 6 GHz band is a bold and visionary reform that will act as a major catalyst for India’s digital and innovation economy. High-capacity Wi-Fi connectivity is the backbone of next-generation applications, from smart factories and connected enterprises to digital public infrastructure and emerging consumer services. By aligning with global best practices, India has sent a strong and confident signal to the world that it intends to lead, not follow, in advanced wireless technologies. ICEA deeply appreciates the proactive leadership of the Hon’ble Minister of Communications and the Department of Telecommunications in enabling this future-ready policy shift.”

ICEA believes that this reform will also strengthen India’s electronics manufacturing ecosystem by accelerating demand for advanced Wi-Fi equipment, semiconductors, and network devices, thereby reinforcing the objectives of Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat. The Association reiterates its commitment to working closely with the Government, industry stakeholders, and standards bodies to ensure smooth implementation of this policy decision and to support India’s ambition of becoming a global hub for electronics manufacturing and digital technologies.