Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasised that technology must become a tool for inclusive and sustainable development. Prime Minister Modi interacted with Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) Board members at Seva Teerth yesterday, ahead of the India Mobile Congress.
The India Mobile Congress is scheduled to be held from the 7th to the 10th of this month in New Delhi. Mr Modi stressed that democratisation of technology is essential to ensure that no section of society is left behind. He emphasised the need to make technology and digital services affordable and accessible, particularly for the Global South, and highlighted the importance of taking technology to the last mile to prevent a widening digital divide.
The Prime Minister highlighted the potential of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) as a transformative force, particularly for developing countries. He noted that discussions on DPI with several world leaders had demonstrated its growing global relevance and said that such platforms can serve as a springboard for countries of the Global South.
Addressing the growing challenge of digital and cyber fraud, Mr Modi said, the problem requires technology-driven solutions. He suggested sustained awareness messages for users to warn people about potential fraud calls. The Prime Minister also highlighted the need for global standards and common rules for emerging technologies. On the growing threat of deepfakes and AI-generated content, he suggested exploring mechanisms to allow users to immediately identify its origin.
GSMA is a global organisation unifying the mobile ecosystem, representing mobile operators and organisations across the mobile ecosystem and adjacent industries. The GSMA Board members highlighted India’s emergence as a global leader in digital and mobile connectivity. They noted the rapid expansion of 4G and 5G, the scale of digital public infrastructure and the growth of the telecom and mobile manufacturing ecosystem.
They hailed India’s investment-friendly policy framework and emphasised the role of secure, resilient and trusted digital infrastructure in supporting continued digital growth. The meeting was attended by Minister of Communications, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Minister of State for Communications, Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, GSMA board members and senior officials of the government.
