ITU opens Area Office and Innovation Centre in New Delhi
ITU News
The ITU Area Office and Innovation Centre was officially opened in New Delhi, India, on 22 March, providing an expanded presence for the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to promote tech and sustainable development in South Asia. The inclusion of ITU’s first on-site centre for innovation positions the new office in India’s capital as a hub for promoting advanced technologies within the region and beyond.
ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin, while attending the opening, met with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss leveraging digital technology for a sustainable planet and a better future.
Prime Minister Modi also unveiled the country’s “Bharat 6G Vision Document” and launched the 6G R&D Test Bed, a research and development facility for the next generation of mobile networks.
The Minister for Railways, Communications, Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, underlined the importance of regional and global cooperation as India pursues sustainable digital transformation.
“India remains committed to ITU’s vision of universal, reliable, and affordable communication,” he said. “It is the vision of Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi that India contributes to ITU commensurate to her aspirations. It is a moment of joy that the ITU Area Office and Innovation Centre is being inaugurated today. I am happy to note that the Area Office will also have an Innovation Centre, which is the first of its kind under the aegis of ITU. I’m sure the Area Office and Innovation Centre will play an important role in development of new telecom technologies.”
An entrepreneurial innovation hub
The ITU Area Office and Innovation Centre brings together government, industry, academia and others in an entrepreneurial environment so that digital technology advancements in sectors such as agriculture, health, and education can reach the communities that need them most.
“With tremendous gratitude for the generous support of India, ITU is now able to work even closer to the people it serves,” said ITU Secretary-General Bogdan-Martin. “Meaningful connectivity and innovation are tightly linked, and we will use our new presence in South Asia to expand the benefits of digital technology for everyone, everywhere.”
ITU, the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies, will also use the office to strengthen collaborative action on universal connectivity and sustainable digital transformation.
On 23 March, the day after the official opening, the new ITU office hosted the Regional Innovation Forum for Asia and the Pacific.
“ITU’s new office in India will help us address the opportunities and challenges in the South Asia region,” said Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau. “Innovation coupled with digital access, affordability, and skills should equate to transformational impact on communities in all the countries ITU serves.”
India signed the host country agreement for the ITU South Asia office a year ago. The sub-regional office will also serve Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Iran, the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
ITU’s presence in the wider region is led by the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, based in Bangkok, Thailand.
The facility is located within the Centre for Development of Telematics. The office is funded by the Government of India.
