India is rapidly moving towards next step of digital revolution: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asserted that India is rapidly moving towards the next step of the digital revolution and that telecom technology is about empowering Indian citizens.

He also said that the Made in India telecom technology is attracting the attention of the entire world.

The Prime Minister made the announcement after inaugurating the new International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Area office and Innovation Centre.

At the event, the Prime Minister also unveiled Bharat 6G Vision Document and launch a 6G R & D Test Bed. He also launched the 'Call before u dig' App.

Addressing at the event, the Prime Minister said, "Today's India is rapidly moving towards the next step of the digital revolution. Made in India telecom technology is attracting the attention of the entire world."

"When we talk about bridging the technological divide, it is very natural to expect from India," PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister also ascertained in the event that "telecom technology is about empowering our citizens in India".

Noting that India has seen a rapid surge in the number of internet users in rural areas in recent years, the Prime Minister said "it shows the power of Digital India."

"Non-digital sectors are also getting a boost from Digital India. An example of this is our PM Gatishakti National Master Plan," said the Prime Minister.

For India, Modi said telecom technology is not just a mode of power but a mission to empower.

"India rolled out 5G connections in more than 125 cities within 120 days. India will set up 100 5G labs in the coming years," the Prime Minister announced at the event.

"Within six months of 5G, we are already talking about 6G technology. This shows the confidence of India," he added.

He further said more than 800 crore UPI-based digital payments are made in India every month.

"Every day over 7 crores of e-authentication takes place. More than Rs 28 lakh crore directly transferred to citizens' bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer," said the Prime Minister.

Today, when India is presiding over the G20, Modi said, one of our priorities is to reduce the regional divide.

"Global South is making major strides in bridging the technological divide. The ITU Area office and Innovation Centre will also play a key role in this," the Prime Minister added.

ITU is the United Nations' specialised agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs). Headquartered in Geneva, it has a network of field offices, regional Offices and area offices.

India signed a Host Country Agreement in March 2022 with ITU for the establishment of an Area Office. The Area Office in India also envisaged having an Innovation Centre embedded in it, making it unique among other area offices of ITU.

The Area Office, which is fully funded by India, is located on the second floor of the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT) building at Mehrauli New Delhi. It will serve India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Afghanistan and Iran, enhancing coordination among nations and fostering mutually beneficial economic cooperation in the region.