India and Ireland have moved to strengthen bilateral cooperation in telecommunications, digital infrastructure, and emerging technologies during high-level talks in New Delhi. The meeting between Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia and Ireland’s Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Jack Chambers, underscored shared ambitions in regulatory collaboration, digital public infrastructure, and global telecom governance.
Context: Two Innovation-Driven Democracies
4
The dialogue took place at Sanchar Bhawan, with participation from senior officials of India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Ireland’s digital governance establishment.
India emphasised its rapid ICT transformation since 2014, highlighting:
- Over 1.23 billion telecom subscribers.
- Nearly one billion internet users.
- 5G coverage across approximately 99.9% of districts.
- Among the lowest data tariffs globally (around USD 0.10 per GB).
Ireland, for its part, showcased its research-driven innovation ecosystem and EU-aligned regulatory architecture.
Digital Public Infrastructure as a Model
India’s digital public infrastructure (DPI) stack featured prominently in discussions. Initiatives such as:
- (UPI) – enabling interoperable digital payments at scale.
- (DBT) – ensuring direct transfer of welfare funds.
- DigiLocker – secure digital document storage.
- Digi Yatra – seamless, paperless airport travel.
These were presented as scalable governance tools enhancing transparency, financial inclusion, and service delivery.
The Sanchar Saathi initiative, including CEIR for device recovery and mechanisms to block spoofed calls, was also highlighted as an example of citizen-centric telecom governance.
Regulatory and ITU Cooperation
4
India sought Ireland’s support for its candidature at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), including:
- Election of Ms. M. Revathi as Director, Radiocommunication Bureau.
- India’s re-election to the ITU Council (2027–2030).
- Hosting the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in 2030.
Both sides agreed to enhance collaboration between India’s DoT and Ireland’s Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), with structured knowledge exchange and regulatory dialogue.
Emerging Technologies: AI, Quantum, Rural Broadband
The ministers identified key cooperation areas:
- Quantum communications.
- Artificial intelligence applications.
- Regulatory innovation.
- Rural broadband expansion.
Ireland’s National Broadband Plan — focused on universal, meaningful connectivity in remote regions — was cited as a valuable learning model. Ireland’s ongoing multi-billion-euro fibre rollout project offers scope for technological and industrial collaboration.
Trade, Industry and Diaspora Linkages
Ireland acknowledged the significant contribution of the Indian diaspora to its economy and innovation landscape. The two sides expressed interest in expanding ICT business partnerships, including:
- Government-to-Government (G2G) dialogues.
- Government-to-Business (G2B) frameworks.
- Business-to-Business (B2B) engagements.
Given Ireland’s strategic position within the European Union, enhanced digital ties could serve as a bridge for deeper India–EU ICT collaboration.
Strategic Significance
The engagement reflects India’s broader strategy to:
- Position itself as a global digital infrastructure leader.
- Shape international telecom governance norms.
- Promote interoperable, secure, and open digital ecosystems.
- Strengthen technology diplomacy with EU member states.
For Ireland, collaboration with India provides scale, market access, and partnership opportunities in emerging technology domains.
What to Note for Prelims?
- India–Ireland bilateral meeting held at Sanchar Bhawan, New Delhi.
- Key areas: ICT cooperation, AI, quantum communication, rural broadband.
- India seeking support for ITU Council (2027–2030) and PP 2030 hosting.
- DPI examples: UPI, DBT, DigiLocker, Digi Yatra.
What to Note for Mains?
- Digital diplomacy as a pillar of foreign policy.
- Role of ITU in global telecom governance.
- Digital Public Infrastructure as an exportable governance model.
- India–EU digital cooperation through member-state partnerships.
- Balancing innovation with regulatory harmonisation.
