Explained: ANRF, Bharat 6G Alliance, and India’s ₹50,000-cr innovation push

India is stepping up its push to become a global innovation hub through the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), expansion of the Bharat 6G Alliance, and a broader research funding framework aimed at emerging technologies. Here’s what it means. 

What is ANRF and why was it set up? 

Union Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia informed the Lok Sabha last week that ANRF was established under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and became operational in February 2024. 

The foundation aims to give fresh momentum to research, innovation and entrepreneurship across science and engineering sectors, and functions through a Governing Council and an Executive Council to ensure transparent and effective decision-making. 

How much funding is planned? 

ANRF is expected to mobilise ₹50,000 crore between 2023 and 2028 through multiple funding streams, including the ANRF Fund, Innovation Fund, Science and Engineering Research Fund and Special Purpose Funds. 

Of the total, ₹14,000 crore will be contributed by the central government while the remaining amount will be sourced from public sector enterprises, private companies, philanthropic organisations, and international bodies. 

What are the key programmes  

The government has outlined several flagship programmes to drive cutting-edge research, such as the Mission for Advancement in High Impact Areas, EV Mission, 2D Innovation Hub, MedTech Mission, AI for Science and Engineering, and the CRM Research Programme. 

In addition, grant schemes including the Advanced Research Grant, Prime Minister Early Career Research Grant and Inclusivity Research Grant have been introduced to broaden participation in research. 

To strengthen the innovation ecosystem, mechanisms such as Centres of Excellence Convergence, a Centre of Excellence for Science, Technology, Innovation Indicators and Analysis, the Partnership for Accelerated Innovation and Research, and the ANRF Transnational Research Innovation Hub have been established. 

An allocation of around ₹300 crore has been made towards fellowships and related initiatives. 

What is the Bharat 6G Alliance 

The Bharat 6G Alliance is an industry-academia platform focused on developing indigenous 6G technologies, and its membership has expanded from 14 institutions to 85 as of March 2026. 

The alliance brings together telecom operators, equipment manufacturers, startups, academic institutions and R&D bodies, and has set up seven working groups covering areas such as spectrum, devices, technology, sustainability, and use cases. 

Scindia noted that “quarterly analysis of all seven working groups is undertaken by the Ministry to ensure steady progress.” 

India’s 6G ambitions 

India aims to contribute about 10% of global 6G patents, with around 4,000 patents already filed. The country’s proposal on ubiquitous connectivity has been accepted by global standard-setting bodies such as the 3rd Generation Partnership Project and the International Telecommunication Union. 

A key milestone is the development of a 6G terahertz testbed project led by SAMEER in collaboration with IIT Madras, IIT Guwahati and IIT Patna, which has demonstrated a high-speed wireless link of 6,400 MBps over a 270 GHz frequency band. 

What is the ₹1 lakh crore RDI Scheme 

The government has also announced a ₹1 lakh crore Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) Scheme to provide long-term support for research in critical sectors. 

The scheme focuses on areas such as energy transition and climate action, deep technologies including quantum computing, robotics and space, artificial intelligence and advanced digital technologies, biotechnology and medical devices, and the digital economy, including digital agriculture. 

The Department of Science and Technology will serve as the nodal agency for implementation. The government’s strategy reflects a multi-pronged approach that combines funding, institutional support and global collaboration to position India as a leader in emerging technologies. 

Scindia reiterated that the Ministry remains confident of India emerging as a global leader in 6G technology, alongside strengthening its broader research and innovation ecosystem.