SUDHIR KUMAR
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reiterated the importance of establishing a global framework for digital technology. He emphasized that this topic was raised by India during its G-20 Presidency and urged global institutions to recognize its significance for global governance.
Inaugurating the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) – World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA) 2024 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi today , he said the WTSA aims to work towards global standards, while the India Mobile Congress plays a significant role in services.
The Prime Minister said that today, India is one of the most dynamic countries in the world in terms of telecom and related technology. He said, India has 120 crore mobile phone users, 95 crore internet users, and that more than 40 percent of the world’s real-time digital transactions take place in the country. He emphasized that the country has made digital connectivity an effective tool for last-mile delivery. Mr. Modi highlighted that India’s digital vision is based on four pillars: cheaper devices, connectivity reaching all corners, affordable data, and being digital-first. He also mentioned that India is ready to share its experience in successfully building digital public infrastructure with the rest of the world.
The Prime Minister said, India has become the world’s second-largest 5G market and that the government is now working intensively on 6G technology. He added that almost every district in the country is now connected to the 5G network. Mr. Modi said the reforms and innovations introduced by India in the telecom sector are unimaginable and unprecedented.
The Prime Minister said that in 2014, India had only two mobile manufacturing units, but today, the country has more than 200. He said India is now known as a mobile exporter and is engaged in providing Made-in-India phones to the world.
Mr. Modi highlighted that India is creating numerous opportunities for women in technology leadership. He mentioned the government’s Namo Drone Didi initiative, which is revolutionizing agriculture through the use of drones.
The WTSA is the governing conference for the standardization work of the International Telecommunication Union, a United Nations agency for digital technologies, organized every four years. This is the first time that the ITU-WTSA is being hosted in India and the Asia-Pacific region.
Mr. Modi also inaugurated the 8th edition of the India Mobile Congress 2024 during the program. The India Mobile Congress 2024 will showcase India’s innovation ecosystem, where leading telecom companies and innovators will highlight advancements in Quantum technology and the Circular Economy, with a spotlight on 6G, 5G, cloud and edge computing, semiconductors, cybersecurity, and electronics manufacturing.
The World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly is a pivotal global event that will bring together more than three thousand industry leaders, policymakers, and tech experts from over 190 countries, representing the telecom, digital, and ICT sectors. It will provide a platform for countries to discuss and decide on future standards for next-generation critical technologies such as 6G, Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Big Data, cybersecurity, and more. Hosting this event in India will provide the country with an opportunity to play a key role in shaping the global telecom agenda and setting the course for future technologies. Indian startups and research institutions are set to gain critical insights into developing Intellectual Property Rights and Standard Essential Patents.
Speaking on the occasion, Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia emphasized that India is now prepared to lead the world in the development of 6G technology. He informed that over the past three years, the government has invested more than ten billion US dollars and laid seven lakh kilometers of fiber across rural India. Mr. Scindia said that earlier, telecom was merely seen as a tool to connect people with each other, but today, Indian telecom is connecting people to the growth and development of the country.