India held bilateral meetings with various countries at the WSIS Forum 2017

The Dollar Business Bureau

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum 2017 represents the world's largest annual gathering of the ‘ICT for development’ community. The annual WSIS Forum is a global multi-stakeholder platform facilitating the implementation of the WSIS Action Lines for advancing sustainable development. The Forum provides an opportunity for information exchange, knowledge creation and sharing of best practices, while identifying emerging trends and fostering partnerships, taking into account the evolving Information and Knowledge Societies. 

The Forum is co-organized by ITU, UNESCO, UNDP and UNCTAD, in close collaboration with all WSIS Action Line co-/facilitators and other UN organisations (UNDESA, FAO, UNEP, WHO, UN Women, WIPO, WFP, ILO, WMO, ITC, UPU, UNODC, UNICEF and UN Regional Commissions). It provides an opportunity for information exchange, knowledge creation and sharing of best practices while identifying emerging trends and fostering partnerships, taking into account the evolving Information and Knowledge Societies.

India was represented by the Minister of Communications Manoj Sinha who called for migrating from Information Societies to knowledge societies so as to ensure that information is not only created and disseminated but also put to the service of mankind. Speaking at the meeting, the minister said, 'there is an urgent need for developing the common minimum agreement for cyber-security issues.' He invited various leaders present at the Expo to invest in India due to the enhanced improvement in the ease of doing business and said there is a need to migrate from information societies to knowledge societies.

Given below are some of the meetings that the Indian side held with other countries.

Sinha met Debretsion Measho, Ethiopian Minister of Communications and IT

On the sidelines of WSIS Forum 2017, Manoj Sinha met Debretsion Measho, Ethiopian Minister of Communications and IT. Both sides agreed to draw up a list of priority areas for cooperation in ICT infrastructure development, technological up-gradation, development of Common Service Centres for G2C and learning of best practices followed by India. Sinha invited the Ethiopian delegation to visit India at a mutually convenient time, which was accepted.  

Upadhyay (Member (Technical), DoT) met Mahmoud Vaezi, Iranian Minister for Information & Communication Technology,

and Shigenki Suzuki, Japanese Vice-Minister for Policy Coordination, Ministry of Internal Affairs & Coordination

In the bilateral meeting with Mahmoud Vaezi, Iranian Minister for Information & Communication Technology, both sides agreed to set up a Joint Working Group to examine potential areas of cooperation, updating the existing MoU of 1995, cooperation in the field of cybersecurity, ICT infrastructure development for making Iran a hub for internet traffic of Central Asian Countries with rest of the world. Iran also sought India’s support to its candidature of ITU Council. It was decided to nominate G.K. Upadhyay, Member (Technical), DoT and Sherafat Adviser, as the focal point to carry forward the points agreed during the meeting. Both sides also agreed to consult and closely cooperate at regional and international forums, on issues of common interest. 

G.K. Upadhyay, Member (Technical), DoT discussed issues of mutual interest with Shigenki Suzuki, Japanese Vice-Minister for Policy Coordination, Ministry of Internal Affairs & Coordination along with other delegation members. Japan expressed keen interest in offering 5G standardisation and regularisation; machine to machine (M2M); Internet of Things (IOT); knowledge development & regulation; and cybersecurity coordination. Both sides agreed to examine these issues and work out a plan to carry forward the cooperation in ICT sector.  

The Zimbabwean Dy Minister for ICT, Postal and Courier Services sought the Indian expertise for laying optic fibre cables

Win Mlambo, Zimbabwean Deputy Minister for ICT, Postal and Courier Services expressed interest in furthering cooperation in ICT sector for connecting its rural areas with ICT infrastructure on the lines of Bharatnet. Zimbabwe sought the technical, financial and regulatory expertise of India for using utilities like transmission lines for laying optic fibre cables. The Indian side was headed by G.K. Upadhyay, Member (Technical) DoT for this meeting. India agreed to seriously consider the request made by Zimbabwe side. 

The Russian Dy Minister of Information and Communications brainstormed with the Indian side in the field of cyber security

The meeting between Upadhyay and Rashid Ismailov, Russian Deputy Minister of Information and Communications explored cooperation in the field of IoT and M2M; brainstormed on ways and means for expanding cooperation and consultation in the field of cyber security. Russia expressed keen interest in several C-DOT products where the Indian side agreed to share detailed technical information and continue this discussion. Upadhyay also briefed the Russian side about India’s plans to offer infrastructure to host the BRICS Institute of Future Networks and sought its support.