New Delhi, February 17: Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia stated on Tuesday that both India and Ireland are dynamic, innovation-driven democracies. He highlighted the immense potential for collaboration in quantum communication, artificial intelligence (AI), regulatory innovation, and rural broadband services between the two nations.
During a bilateral meeting with Irish Minister Jack Chambers, Scindia expressed India’s expectation for Ireland’s support in its candidacy for the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). He remarked, “Together, we can build a strong and future-ready digital partnership.”
The discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in telecommunications, digital infrastructure, emerging technologies, and regulatory frameworks. This reaffirmed the strong and friendly relations between the two countries.
According to an official statement, both parties recognized the strong complementarity between India’s extensive reach and rapid technology implementation capabilities and Ireland’s research-based innovation ecosystem, aligned with the European Union’s regulatory framework.
The potential for structured collaboration between the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Ireland’s Commission for Communications Regulation was also emphasized. The involvement of academic institutions, startups, and the industry was deemed crucial.
Scindia informed the Irish side about the changes in India’s information and communication technology (ICT) sector since 2014. He noted that India now boasts one of the world’s largest digital ecosystems, with over 1.23 billion telecom subscribers and nearly one billion internet users.
He mentioned that 5G coverage has reached almost 99.9 percent of the country’s districts. Additionally, the average cost of data is approximately $0.10 per GB, ensuring connectivity remains accessible and affordable.
The minister highlighted that voice and data rates in India are among the lowest globally. He also pointed out the success of the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), particularly the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), which has emerged as a global model for interoperable digital payments. He also referenced the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system, which transparently and effectively delivers government funds directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts.
Irish Minister Jack Chambers shared insights about his country’s National Broadband Plan, emphasizing it as a prime example of providing affordable and meaningful connectivity in rural and remote areas.
He praised the significant contributions of the Indian community to Ireland’s economy, innovation, and job creation, mentioning the ongoing multi-billion euro fiber network project across the country.
Chambers stated that trade relations between India and Ireland are strong and continuously growing, forming a vital part of India’s trade with the European Union.
Both sides stressed the need to work together under the ITU framework and share best practices in regulatory and technical fields.
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