Secretary Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications, Dr. Neeraj Mittal presented India's Telecom Advancements and Global Collaborations at various forums at the ongoing  Mobile World Congress 2024 (MWC24) being held in Barcelona, Spain. He also highlighted that India is advancing quickly in the technology space with one of the fastest 5G rollouts in the world and digital transformation taking place across all sectors. Secretary(T)

Also met the World Bank delegation led by Mr.Guangzhe Chen, VP for infrastructure,& Ms. Christine, Director, Digital development global practice. He termed it as “Exciting discussions on collaboration & global development”.

Dr. Mittal also informed about the BharatNet and 4G saturation projects showcasing India's commitment to bridge digital divide and underlined AI to combat fake connections and embracing regulatory sandboxes underscore proactive policy-making approach to keep pace with tech advancement.

The Telecom Secretary was accompanied by a high-level delegation, representing India at the prestigious MWC 24.  The delegation's participation encompassed a wide range of engagements, highlighting India's significant progress in the telecommunications sector and its commitment to fostering international collaborations.

The delegation's activities at MWC 24 included:

• GSMA Ministerial Programme:

- The Secretary delivered a keynote presentation at the GSMA ministerial programme titled "Five Years of 5G: Insights for Policymakers." The presentation elaborated on India's remarkable journey in 5G deployment, showcasing the government's initiatives such as the establishment of 100 5G labs and various reforms aimed at facilitating ease of doing business. In this session, government leaders explored different approaches to digital transformation, and how good intentions can be translated into effective policy.

• GSMA Round Table:

- In a round table discussion on "Spectrum Towards 2030: Capacity & Affordability," the Secretary highlighted India's efforts in spectrum management and affordability reforms, including auction methodologies and spectrum re-farming.

• Meeting With WB top Officials:

Secreatary (T) met the World Bank delegation led by Mr. Guangzhe Chen, VP for infrastructure,& Ms. Christine, Director, Digital Panel Debate on Building Digital: Exciting discussions on collaboration & global development.

- During a panel debate on "Building Digital: How governments are innovating for citizens," Deputy NSA Anne Neuberger of the USA applauded India's expeditious allocation of spectrum.

• Inauguration of Bharat Pavilion:

- The delegation inaugurated the Bharat Pavilion, providing a platform to showcase India's advancements in telecom and digital transformation. Deputy NSA Anne Neuberger visited the pavilion and commended India's telecom rollouts and digital transformation efforts. She also saw technology demonstration at C-Dot on cell broadcast and cyber security mitigation module of the C-DoT.

The delegation led by Dr. Mittal held various G2G & G2B Meetings:

• Engagements with international organizations such as the World Bank and International Telecommunication Union (ITU) emphasized digital development partnerships and collaborative efforts in information and communications technology (ICT) development.
• The delegation held bilateral meetings with various entities, including cooperation agreements with Nokia, Ericsson, Cisco and Qualcomm, focused on joint initiatives in 6G standardization, innovation, and the development of AI-based 5G use cases.
• They also engaged with Airtel and Mavenir aimed at exploring partnerships in telecom product supply and conducting Proof of Concept (POC) for railway projects.
• Discussions with Intel focused on developing AI-based 5G use cases and exploring possibilities for joint research projects.

The Telecom Secretary's participation in MWC 24 reflects India's commitment to leveraging technology for socio-economic development and strengthening international partnerships in the telecommunications sector.

The MWC 2024 is being hosted by GSMA at Barcelona, Spain. Most of MWC Barcelona's discussions revolved around the theme "Future First," and focussed on the need to unite industries, continents, technologies, and communities to realise their future potential. The GSMA is a global organisation unifying the mobile ecosystem to discover, develop and deliver innovation foundational to positive business environments and societal change.

Photo Caption: Secretary (Telecom), Dr. Neeraj Mittal engages with Mr. Dan Sjoblom, Director General of the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority, at MWC 24, exploring avenues for cooperation and knowledge exchange in the telecommunications sphere.

Photo Captions: (Photos below):  Dr. Neeraj Mittal, Secretary (Telecom) meeting with Sh. Sunil Mittal Airtelnews team and with Mr. Rayan Goodnight from SpaceX during MWC24 . Discussed possibilities for forthcoming technologies to drive innovation in the telecom industry.

Photo Caption:  (Photos below) Secretary (T) Dr. Neeraj Mittal  explored cutting-edge tech and industry partnerships at exhibits of Media Tek, Mavenir and intel at MWC24. Engaging discussions & exciting innovations in telecommunications

 !

********

DK/DK/SMP