"Airtel dedicated to building powerful India": Sunil Mittal highlights company's commitment to innovation at ITU-WTSA

New Delhi [India], October 15 : Chairman of Bharti Enterprises Sunil Bharti Mittal on Tuesday highlighted Airtel's journey as a multinational telecommunications services company at the 8th edition of ITU-WTSA, saying that the company has embraced innovation and social responsibility by launching India's first anti-spam network and will remain dedicated to play it's role in building a powerful India.
Sunil Bharti Mittal said that Airtel has been a cornerstone of India's telecom evolution, adapting from the 2G era to today's digital landscape and launched India's first anti-spam network, an initiative that effectively blocks billions of scam calls and fraudulent messages, enhancing customer security.
Mittal also underscored that Airtel is committed to collaborating with the telecom industry and the Department of Telecom to ensure users can enjoy their services safely.
He said to align with the Prime Minister's vision of a strong and empowered India, Airtel remains dedicated to playing a pivotal role in this transformative journey.
Addressing the gathering here on Tuesday, Sunil Bharti Mittal said, "Airtel has been at the forefront of India's telecom revolution. It has stood the test of time, it has seen the journey right from the 2G to where we are in India today, creating a digital revolution that the world is seeing."
"I'm glad that Airtel took the initiative of launching India's first anti-spam network, blocking billions of calls coming from scamsters and billions of messages coming from the fraudsters to secure the lives of our customers," he said.
"We are now working with the industry to ensure, and with the Department of Telecom, that our people, when they're using these networks and enjoying all those services, are safe and secure. Prime Minister, Airtel will play its role in your vision of building a very powerful India," said Mittal.
Mittal further said that India has significantly shifted from losing the manufacturing race over the past 20-30 years to becoming a key global manufacturing hub and that this transformation has been fueled by initiatives like the Productivity-Linked Incentive (PLI) program and the establishment of rigorous standards for trusted sources and products.
"India had lost the manufacturing race in the previous 20-30 years to China and other parts of the world. That call to action has resulted in today's India becoming a major manufacturing hub. With the support of a massive productivity-linked incentive program, the PLI, as well as ushering in the most complicated, complex process which no other country has really initiated in a manner that India has of trusted sources and trusted products," said Mittal.
Adding further, he said, "Today, every element in this country that is coming goes through the detailed eye of National Security Council on Telecom. Every source, every product, every element of India's network that connects a nation passes through that rigorous test of trusted networks and trusted products. This is seminal development which other countries need to follow very quickly."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated the 8th edition of the International Telecommunication Union - World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA) at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.
After the inauguration, he inspected the exhibition at the venue, accompanied by Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. This is the first time the ITU-WTSA has been hosted in India and the Asia-Pacific.
The event will facilitate interactions with various industry leaders, policymakers, and tech experts from over 190 countries. It is a pivotal global event that will bring together more than 3,000 industry leaders, policymakers, and tech experts from the telecom, digital, and ICT sectors.
The ITU-WTSA event will also facilitate discussions on the standards set for new-age technologies such as 6G, AI, IoT, Big Data, and cybersecurity. The PMO stated, "Hosting this event in India will provide the country an opportunity to play a key role in shaping the global telecom agenda and to set the course for future technologies. Indian startups and research institutions are set to gain critical insights into developing Intellectual Property Rights and Standard Essential Patents."
India Mobile Congress 2024 will showcase the telecom ecosystem, with leading telecom companies highlighting advancements in quantum technology, and the circular economy, as well as a spotlight on 6G, 5G use-case showcases, cloud and edge computing, IoT, semiconductors, cybersecurity, green tech, satellite communications, and electronics manufacturing.
The IMC is Asia's largest digital technology forum and has become a well-known platform globally for showcasing innovative solutions, services, and state-of-the-art use cases for industry, government, academia, startups, and other key stakeholders in the technology and telecom ecosystem.
The IMC will feature over 400 exhibitors, and 900 startups, with participation from over 120 countries. The event also aims to showcase more than 900 technology use-case scenarios, host over 100 sessions, and feature discussions with over 600 global and Indian speakers.