THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 7, 2026

Technology must become a tool for inclusive and sustainable development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday, stressing that its democratisation is essential to ensure that no section of society is left behind.

Modi made the remarks while interacting with members of the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) Board at Seva Teerth ahead of the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026.

Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya Scindia, Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development Dr Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar and senior government officials attended the interaction.

The Prime Minister underlined the need to make technology and digital services affordable and accessible, particularly for countries of the Global South, and stressed the importance of taking technology to the last mile to prevent the digital divide from widening.

He highlighted the potential of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) as a transformative force, particularly for developing countries, and said discussions on DPI with several world leaders had demonstrated its growing global relevance.

DPI platforms, Modi said, can serve as a springboard for countries of the Global South, enabling them to harness technology for inclusive growth and development.

Addressing the growing challenge of digital and cyber fraud, the Prime Minister said the problem requires technology-driven solutions. He also suggested sustained awareness messages for users to alert people about potential fraud calls and help strengthen digital safety.

Modi also emphasised the need for global standards and common rules for emerging technologies. On the growing threat posed by deepfakes and AI-generated content, he suggested exploring mechanisms that would enable users to immediately identify the origin of such content.

The GSMA Board members, meanwhile, highlighted India's emergence as a global leader in digital and mobile connectivity, pointing to the rapid expansion of 4G and 5G networks, the scale of the country's Digital Public Infrastructure and the growth of its telecom and mobile manufacturing ecosystem.

The global telecom leaders appreciated India's investment-friendly policy framework and underlined the importance of secure, resilient and trusted digital infrastructure in sustaining the country's continued digital growth.

They also highlighted growing opportunities for international cooperation with India in areas such as 5G, 6G, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital inclusion and satellite connectivity.

The interaction comes as India prepares to host the 10th edition of the India Mobile Congress, which will bring together global technology and telecom leaders in New Delhi.

Scindia has been leading India's international engagement on next-generation connectivity and digital technologies. At Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona, he led India's engagements with the global telecom ecosystem and addressed the GSMA Ministerial Programme on making connectivity more affordable, inclusive and future-ready.

India's engagement with global technology leaders reflects its growing role in shaping the future of telecommunications, including the evolution of 6G, secure digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence and globally interoperable technology standards.