ITU Secretary-General praises India’s leadership in 5G and AI

The Fifth Global Standards Symposium (GSS-24) at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi today, was inaugurated by Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, the North Eastern Region's Minister of Communications and Development. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) hosted this symposium, which drew together approximately 1500 of the world's most eminent policymakers, experts, and ministers to talk about the future of digital transformation and the vital role that international standards will play in facilitating the next wave of emerging technologies. The WTSA 2024, which will be hosted in India for the first time ever and for the first time in the Asia-Pacific region overall, will have its agenda established by GSS 24. 

Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the ITU, praised India's speedy nationwide deployment of fifth-generation (5G) networks, while also highlighting the country's major investment in artificial intelligence (AI) and success with Unified Payment, that has outperformed prominent digital platforms, demonstrating to the world the enormous impact that digital public infrastructure (DPI) can have.

She was giving a speech at the opening of the fifth edition of the Global Standards Symposium (GSS).

"India is at the forefront of an economy built on knowledge in where innovation occurs swiftly, affordably, and on a scale that is unparalleled. That makes India a role model for many countries seeking to restructure their economies, revamp government services, encourage investment, and equip their people with the upcoming digital tools and skills." She added.

Secretary-General of the ITU She praised India's speedy nationwide deployment of fifth-generation (5G) networks, while also highlighting the country's major investment in artificial intelligence (AI) and success with Unified Payment, that has outperformed prominent digital platforms, demonstrating to the world the enormous impact that digital public infrastructure (DPI) can have.

Bogdan-Martin, emphasized the critical role of standards in the current global context, “At the highest levels of global governance, standards are top of mind. They are more than mere technical specifications; they foster interoperability, promise innovation, and crucially, can serve as safeguards, ensuring that technology, including artificial intelligence, is developed and deployed responsibly."

With the globe assembling in India to influence the direction of standardisation, all eyes are on India, she added.

ITU-GSS will set the stage for the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA), taking place from 15 to 24 October 2024 in New Delhi, India. This event, organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and hosted by Department of Telecommunication (DoT) will be held for the first time in India and the Asia-Pacific

Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, said, “innovation with thrive not in isolation but in harmony.” The Union Minister also spoke about India’s success with new technology as it rolled out 5G across 36 states and union territories within a span of just 22 months, covering 98 percent of all the districts and its Global Stack - Unified Payment Interface, Aadhar card system and the Digi Locker which stores about 6.75 billion documents serving 300 million users. The roll out of 5G is expected to inject 450 billion dollars into the economy by 2040, minister added.

Emphasising India’s role as a global hub for telecommunications and digital innovation, Mr Scindia said, "This historic gathering signifies a pivotal moment for India. We will be driving the future of global standards, ensuring connectivity for all and showcasing our tech prowess”.