UN telecom body ITU to open its area office in New Delhi for South Asia

Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Secretary-General Houlin Zhao signed a pact virtually on Thursday to establish an area office and innovation centre of the United Nations telecom body in New Delhi.

The setting up of the area office will provide greater access and engagement to India and South Asian countries in global policy and standard formation in the field of telecommunication.

"Today, the Government of India and ITU signed an agreement for setting up an area office and innovation centre for telecommunications for the entire south Asian region.

"This area office will provide opportunities for our start-ups and talents to develop and contribute more to telecom technology and make sure that our specific needs are reflected in the standards which are set up for telecommunications technologies," Vaishnaw told reporters after the signing ceremony.

India was a founding member of ITU when it was formed more than one-and-a-half century ago in 1865 as the International Telegraph Union but this is the first time that ITU is opening in the South Asia region with India as the host country.

"This is our dream to have our new offices everywhere in the world but over the past two decades, we could not do it. After a long time, we are opening an area office," Zhao said.

International Telegraph Union was renamed as International Telecommunication Union in 1932 and became a specialised agency of the United Nations in 1947.

The ITU Area Office and Innovation Centre of ITU at New Delhi is expected to be operational by mid-2022 and serve South Asian countries namely Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and India.

The host country agreement provides the legal and financial framework for the establishment and operations of the area office.

The office will also have an innovation centre, which is expected to give impetus to research and development in telecommunication technologies in South Asia.

"Creation of Indian patents and finding their place in global standards is important. The ITU office will provide platforms to Indian companies for higher engagement in the development of global standards," Telecom Secretary K Rajaraman said.

The innovation centre will provide opportunities to academics, start-ups and SMEs to showcase their innovation on a global stage. With the signing of the Host Country Agreement, the Area Office and the Innovation Centre is expected to be operational by mid-2022.

In India's national capital, the new office will implement ITU initiatives and provide technical assistance and policy guidance on information and communication technologies (ICTs) to ITU member states across South Asia. The office will be funded by the Indian government.

ITU-APT foundation of India President Bharat Bhatia, who attended the ceremony in Geneva, said the agreement is a major milestone in the long-awaited finalisation of the setting up of the India office.

He said the ITU area office in New Delhi will help more active participation of Indian and South Asian ICT professionals in the activities of the ITU to support the faster spread of digital technologies across South Asia and to bridge the digital divide.