Fostering global collaboration in telecommunications and information technology, Dr. Neeraj Mittal, Secretary of the Department of Telecommunications, Government of India, spearheaded a high-level delegation to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Headquarters in Geneva from March 18-20, 2024.
The focus of the visit was to drive innovative initiatives and strengthen partnerships in the telecommunications and ICT sectors, resulting in key milestones and partnerships that promise to shape the future of digital development.
Election to Co-Chair Digital Innovation Board
A major highlight of the visit was Dr. Neeraj Mittal’s election as the co-chair of the Digital Innovation Board of ITU, a prestigious position that amplifies India’s leadership in the global digital arena. The Digital Innovation Board, formed under the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Alliance for Digital Development, includes Ministers and Vice Ministers of Telecom/ICT from 23 ITU Member Countries spanning across continents.
The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Alliance for Digital Development was established to address the unmet needs of ITU Membership in innovation, as outlined in the Kigali Action Plan from the World Telecommunication Development Conference 2022 (WTDC-22) and the outcomes of the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2022 (PP-22).
Global Initiatives and Collaboration
ITU’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Alliance has three key vehicles:
- Digital Transformation Lab
- Network of Acceleration Centres
- Digital Innovation Board
The Alliance’s aim is to provide strategic guidance, expertise, and advocacy to build local enablers for innovation and entrepreneurship in digital development. India’s role is pivotal, with the Global Innovation Centre at ITU Area Office and Innovation Centre in New Delhi coordinating efforts of Network Acceleration Centres worldwide.
Dr. Mittal’s meetings with Dr. Cosmos Zavazava at the ITU Headquarters resulted in discussions on scaling up ITU Area Office India, the Digital Innovation Board, Digital Transformation Lab, Acceleration Centres, and the Global Innovation Centre. An agreement was reached on the way forward, including India’s invitation to host the next Digital Innovation Board meeting alongside the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA) 2024.
Enhanced Participation and Bilateral Collaborations
Dr. Neeraj Mittal also chaired a review meeting at the Permanent Mission of India in Geneva to assess progress on milestones and efforts to increase India’s engagement in ITU activities, emphasizing collaboration with academia and industry.
On the sidelines, bilateral meetings with Japan and Bahrain were held, showcasing India’s commitment to collaboration in the ICT sector. The meeting with Japan, co-chaired by Dr. Mittal and Hiroshi Yoshida, Vice Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications, focused on collaborations in AI, 5G use cases, and Quantum Products certification. Both countries emphasized the need for a framework on trusted products and agreed to operationalize sub working groups on 5G use cases and massive MIMO.
A similar meeting with Bahrain, co-chaired by Dr. Mittal and Mohammed Bin Thamir, Minister of Transport and Telecom of the Kingdom of Bahrain, highlighted active collaboration in AI, 5G use cases, Cybersecurity, and the development of Data Embassy. India proposed sharing the TEC standard on Fairness Assessment and Rating of Artificial Intelligence Systems with Bahrain, along with other collaborative efforts.
