As per an official information, the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the 8th edition of India Mobile Congress. This occasion was the International Telecommunication Union – World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (ITU-WTSA) 2024, held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on 15th October 2024.
It is for the first time that the ITU-WTSA is being hosted in India and the Asia-Pacific. It is a pivotal global event that has brought together more than 3,000 industry leaders, policy-makers and tech experts from over 190 countries, representing telecom, digital, and ICT sectors.
WTSA is the governing conference for the standardization work of the International Telecommunication Union- the United Nations Agency for Digital Technologies. It is organized every four years.
Secretary General ITU, Ms. Doreen Bogdan Martin shared that it is a great honor to be present at the joint ceremony with PM Modi. She said that it is a powerful symbol of the deep ties between the ITU and India and recalled the meaningful conversation with the Prime Minister last year during the inauguration of ITU Area Office and Innovation Center. She recalled the Prime Minister’s emphasis on the need for global digital governance and highlighted how he made India’s ambition very clear to lead by example and share its digital public infrastructure with the entire world.
Chairman of the Reliance JIO-INFOCOMM Limited, Akash Ambani commended PM Modi for his visionary leadership, which has catalyzed India’s remarkable digital transformation. He has positioned the Indian Mobile Congress (IMC) as a significant platform for innovation and collaboration, driving unprecedented growth in the digital sector.
It was shared that India has transitioned from a nation struggling with 2G speeds to becoming the world’s largest data market. India’s journey from ranking 155th in mobile broadband adoption to its current status demonstrates the power of synergy between government and industry. He further highlighted the inclusion of over 530 million unbanked Indians through initiatives like Jan Dhan accounts, with a significant portion being women.
It was also proposed that leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) as a transformative tool across various sectors, the aim here should be for a developed India by 2047. The data center policy was also urged to retain Indian data within the country, fostering a robust AI ecosystem.
Emphasizing P M Modi’s vision for a Digital India, Founder and Chairman of Bharti Airtel, Sunil Bharti Mittal reflected on India’s telecom journey, emphasizing its transformative progress in telecom infrastructure and digital technologies, which ignited the 4G revolution. This has empowered millions, including those in the rural areas, to access smartphones and essential digital services.
He also underscored the government’s initiatives to boost local manufacturing through the Production Linked Incentives (PLI) program, positioning India as a manufacturing hub for telecom equipment by reducing dependence on imports. He also discussed the potential of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) networks to help bridge the connectivity gap in the most challenging terrains.
Chairman of Aditya Birla Group, Kumar Mangalam Birla highlighted India as more connected, empowered and inclusive digital nation. He lauded the government’s continued thrust on expanding digital infrastructure and accelerating digital adoption for people and businesses equally. He emphasized focus on technologies like 5G, IoT, AI and cloud services and expressed that a thriving digital ecosystem can be created that empowers India’s MSMEs to drive economic growth.
Referring to India’s G20 Presidency, Ms Bogdan Martin also expressed delight in ITU becoming a knowledge partner. She underlined that the world has a lot to learn from India’s accomplishments with regard to unified payments interface. She noted that this is a first-of-its-kind meet in Asia and called for bold collective action. She expressed confidence that in the next 10 days the role of international standards can be strengthened as the bedrock of global digital governance. She also touched upon ethical use of AI and urged to align technological progress with digital inclusion.
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Commencing teaching in his early twenties, Prof Aggarwal has diverse experience of great tenure in the top institutions not only as an educationist, administrator, editor, author but also promoting youth and its achievements through the nicest possible content framing. A revolutionary to the core, he is also keen to address the society around him for its betterment and growth on positive notes while imbibing the true team spirit the work force along with.
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