Telecom, Startup Sectors Lead In Fighting Digital Fraud, Shaping 6G Future: COAI DG
He said that the level of innovation taking place across India is designed to close the digital divide and advance its position on global standards.
Published : October 11, 2025 at 7:37 PM IST
New Delhi: India's digital transformation through collaborative efforts between the government, telecom operators, and startups illustrates the work being done across the country, Director General of the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) Lt. Gen. Dr SP Kochhar told ETV Bharat on the sidelines of India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025.
From reducing spam and fraud to developing 6G networks, the level of innovation taking place across India is designed to close the digital divide, promote entrepreneurship, and advance its position regarding global standards, he added.
Spam and Digital Frauds
One of the major challenges faced by the digital ecosystem has been managing online fraud and spam, in addition to traffic that is not regulated, across various telecommunications platforms. Kochhar indicated that both the government and telecom operators have implemented plans and policies recently to address this challenge.
"Users must have seen the effect. Spam and fraud have come down across our networks in the case of Telegram. Operators are doing what they can to manage the problems, but the regulation still lags. The government part is missing, obviously. Traffic is starting to move over, but only to some extent. This collaboration between the operators and the regulators is important considering the substantial growth in subscribers," Kochhar stated.
This indicates India's two-pronged approach to digital governance, which blends proactive industry actions with an evolving regulatory approach to ensure safety and access for users, he added.
Startups Leading Local and Global Innovation
Startups are becoming essential players in India's technological growth, especially in digital services and AI. Kochhar said the Indian startups have a dual function. Many startups are based in smaller towns and cities, which helps them to tackle local challenges. "They understand the need of the community and build applications to digitise villages and rural areas," he said.
Secondly, startups are not only serving local needs but are also developing world-class products that have international reach. "Products being showcased at IMC, for example, are already marketed internationally. These startups have the potential to become unicorns and global players," Kochhar added.
Experts say this ecosystem ensures that innovation is not limited to metropolitan hubs but is democratised across the country, empowering entrepreneurs to deliver solutions that are both contextually relevant and globally competitive.
Shaping India's 6G Future
While India has made significant strides in 5G deployment, the next frontier lies in 6G technology. Kochhar revealed that India is actively contributing to the development of global standards for 6G networks. "What the industry and the government are doing together is making standards and filing patents. These standard drafts go to 3GPP, the international body defining 6G standards," he said, adding that once accepted, these standards will be integrated internationally, putting India on the global technology map.
The nation's early involvement in 6G standardisation is expected to help speed up the adoption of emerging technologies, along with the capacity for local innovation and research. It also supports India's position of not just consuming technology, but actively developing it.
Impact of AI and Localised Data
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is another area where India is carving out a niche on its own. Kochhar pointed out that Indian AI startups remain focused on identifying large language models based on Indian datasets rather than other countries. "This ensures that the results apply to India, rather than being based on datasets from Europe or America," he said.
A review of large AI language models that are based on Indian datasets has a better chance of being culturally and linguistically relevant. This would ultimately benefit industries from healthcare to education and help establish AI as globally competitive. The emphasis on local data sources for the AI to generate high-quality data is part of a broader trend in India's digital policy to advance technology that is innovative while supporting contextual aspects of the economy and cultural influences.
Telecom Sector Expansion and Connectivity
Telecom remains central to India's digital growth. COAI, representing various national telecom operators, plays an active role in providing, expanding the infrastructure, upgrading technology, and deploying security. Kochhar argued that telecom networks are now reaching isolated areas to bridge the gap between digital and non-digital to provide digital services in rural communities. Quick advances in technology, together with government-led initiatives to prevent fraud, have bolstered confidence in digital services without undermining inclusivity.
He further noted the need for a fine balance between rapid deployment of emerging technologies and regulatory scrutiny. Coordinated industry and government effort will be vital to maintaining growth and consumer protection.
The IMC 2025 was an opportunity for startups, established companies, and policymakers to showcase innovation, as well as talk about the future of India's digital ecosystem. Kochhar emphasised the role of programs such as the X Aspire Startup initiative in developing home-grown capacity to develop new cutting-edge applications and services.
Startups are a key player in providing local solutions and contributing to global technology markets, said Kochhar. The innovations being developed by startups in AI, telecom and digital services are visible as further strengthening India's position as a global technology-enabled entrepreneurship centre.
Kochhar said the future of India's digital ecosystem requires strategic coordination and innovation. The combination of digital startups, indigenous AI development, expanded telecommunications services and involvement in global standard-setting institutions such as 3GPP will position India as a leading creator of the next generation of technologies.
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