ASEAN, BIMSTEC nations to participate in India Mobile Congress: Govt

Union Minister Manoj Sinha today said the India Mobile Congress, the biggest telecom industry event in the country, has received interests from ASEAN and BIMSTEC countries besides the US, Canada and European Union.

"This year we will also be honoured by the presence of our friends from ASEAN and BIMSTEC which will lend a global connect to our exchanges," the telecom minister said at a curtain raiser event of India Mobile Congress (IMC).

The three-day event will start on October 25, 2018.

Telecom Secretary Aruna Sundarajan said this year event "will focus on network of future like 5G, technologies shaping our life like robotics, autonomous vehicles, start-ups, etc".

"We will be looking to partner with potential creators of new technologies. India is the third largest hub for startups. IMC will create opportunities for startups to partner with others in the industries," Sudararajan said.

She said state governments will also participate in IMC.

"IMC is aspiring to be biggest telecom sector business, innovation and information exchange platform. We have received support from embassies of the US, the UK, Sweden, Canada and European Union secretariat," COAI Director General Rajan Mathews said.

The biggest telecom sector event is organised annually by GSM Association in Barcelona, Spain-Mobile World Congress.

"Everyone cannot afford to travel to Barcelona. We want to develop IMC to benefit Asian countries," Mathews said.

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a regional grouping of seven nations of South Asia and South East Asia. These countries are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.