At the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference (PP‑26) held in Doha, Union Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development Dr. Chandrashekhar Pemmassani presented India’s stance on cyber security and emerging technologies.
He said cyber threats know no borders, and therefore cooperation should not be confined by them. He noted that India is investing about $15 billion in ‘BharatNet’ to extend broadband connectivity to rural areas.
BharatNet and digital inclusion
As part of efforts under BharatNet to bring internet to rural areas, Pemmassani said that 2.2 billion people remain offline. He added that India has invested $15 billion to bridge this gap.
Emerging technologies and global standards
During high‑level talks on emerging technologies, Pemmassani highlighted India’s work in affordable AI computing, AI models for local languages, quantum research and 100‑use‑case 5G labs. He said developing countries should have an expanded role in shaping global tech standards and spectrum policies.
- $15 billion investment in BharatNet
- 2.2 billion people remain without internet
- Affordable AI computing and 5G labs
He said that warnings sent to banks helped avert potential financial losses of over ₹5,000 crore.