India, ASEAN telecom ministers to meet on digital connectivity

The Telecom Equipment and Services Export Promotion Council (TEPC) is organising an inter-ministerial meeting between Asean countries and India here on Monday to commemorate the 25th year of the Asean-India relations, an official statement said.

"Minister of State for Communications Manoj Sinha will lead the discussions from Indian side with telecom ministers, senior government officials and industry leaders from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos PDR, Indonesia and Bhutan," a Communications Ministry statement said here. 

"Digital connectivity projects are of strategic importance and can have a transformative impact on the economy and cooperation between Asean and India," it said. 

"India has committed to provide financial as well as technological support for projects that could include-high-speed fibre optic networks, digital villages, rural broadband, national knowledge network and telecom training and skill development," it added. 

TEPC is organising its global business exposition -- India Telecom 2017 -- here on February 21-22. Sinha and Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will be the chief guests. 

This event will witness more than 100 foreign high-profile information and communication technology (ICT) industry delegates from over 30 countries, the ministry said. 

The main objective of the event is to provide opportunities to Indian telecom exporters, including SMEs and startups, to meet qualified overseas buyers, it added. 

This event provides one to one meeting opportunities between buyers from different countries and Indian exporters who can enlighten them about their products and technology solutions.