Jyotiraditya M. Scindia inaugurates 5th Global Standards Symposium

The International Telecommunication Union, Secretary-General praised India’s steps taken for speedy 5G deployment.

The 5^th GSS-2024 (Global Standards Symposium) was inaugurated in the capital, by Jyotiraditya M. Scindia. The event also set the stage for the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA) 2024.

The inaugural session was attended by Mr. Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Minister of Communications and Development of North Eastern Region, India, Ms. Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary -General ITU, Mr. Seizo Onoe, Director, Telecommunication Standardisation Bureau, ITU, Dr. Neeraj Mittal, Secretary, Department of Telecommunications, India. Dr. Raj Kumar Upadhyay, CEO and Chairman Project Board at Centre for Development of Telematics chaired the GSS-24.

Speaking at the inaugural session, Union Minister 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.

He emphasized on 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”.

Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the ITU, 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.

On the subject of challenges posed by new age-technologies, the Minister used the platform to emphasise on the optimal and cautious use of AI. ‘’For AI to serve as a force for good, we must address concerns related to privacy, bias, and transparency. Its deployment must be guided by ethical considerations and robust regulatory frameworks’’.