New Delhi, Feb 17 (IANS) As dynamic and innovation-driven democracies, India and Ireland both have immense potential to collaborate in quantum communications, AI, regulatory innovation, and rural broadband services, Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Tuesday.

In a bilateral meeting with Irish Minister Jack Chambers here, Scindia said we look forward to Ireland’s support for India’s candidature at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

“Together, we can build a strong and future-ready digital partnership,” said minister.

The meeting focused on deepening cooperation in telecommunications, digital infrastructure, emerging technologies, and regulatory collaboration, reaffirming the strong and friendly ties between the two countries.

According to an official statement, both sides acknowledged strong complementarities between India’s scale and rapid deployment capabilities, Ireland’s research-driven innovation ecosystem, and EU-aligned regulatory architecture.

The potential for structured collaboration between DoT and Ireland’s Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), supported by academia, startups, and industry stakeholders, was also emphasised.

Scindia briefed the Irish side on India’s ICT transformation journey since 2014.

He noted that India today represents one of the world’s largest digital ecosystems, with over 1.23 billion telecom subscribers and nearly a billion internet users. 5G coverage extends to approximately 99.9 per cent of the districts, supported by data tariffs averaging around USD 0.10 per GB, making connectivity widely accessible and affordable.

The minister highlighted the availability of affordable voice and data tariffs, which are among the lowest globally, and underscored India’s success in building Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).

In particular, he referred to the transformative impact of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), which has scaled globally as a model for interoperable digital payments, and the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system that enables seamless transfer of government funds directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts, enhancing transparency and efficiency.

Chambers shared insights into Ireland’s National Broadband Plan, noting that it offers valuable lessons in delivering universal, meaningful, and affordable connectivity, particularly to rural and remote areas.

He also acknowledged the significant contribution of the Indian community to the Irish economy, innovation landscape, and job creation. The Irish minister highlighted Ireland’s multi-billion-euro fibre rollout project across the country and noted the strong and growing trade relationship between India and Ireland, which accounts for a significant share of India’s trade with the European Union.

Both sides expressed the need to work closely within the ITU framework and to exchange best practices in regulatory and technological domains.

–IANS

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