New Delhi, February 17: India and Ireland are looking to strengthen their digital partnership, with a focus on quantum communications, artificial intelligence, regulatory innovation, and rural broadband expansion, Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Tuesday.
The discussions took place during a bilateral meeting in the national capital with Irish Minister Jack Chambers, where both sides explored ways to deepen cooperation in telecommunications, digital infrastructure, emerging technologies, and regulatory collaboration.
Support for India’s ITU Candidature
During the meeting, Scindia expressed optimism about Ireland’s backing for India’s candidature at the International Telecommunication Union. He underlined that closer alignment between the two democracies could help build a strong and future-ready digital partnership.Both ministers agreed on the importance of working closely within the ITU framework and sharing best practices in regulatory and technological domains.
Complementary Strengths in Digital Ecosystems
According to the official statement, the two sides acknowledged strong complementarities between India’s scale and rapid deployment capabilities and Ireland’s research-driven innovation ecosystem, backed by an EU-aligned regulatory architecture.The potential for structured collaboration between India’s Department of Telecommunications and Ireland’s Commission for Communications Regulation was highlighted. The engagement is expected to be supported by academia, startups, and industry stakeholders from both countries.
India’s Expanding Digital Footprint
Scindia briefed the Irish delegation on India’s information and communication technology transformation journey since 2014. He said India now represents one of the world’s largest digital ecosystems, with more than 1.23 billion telecom subscribers and nearly one billion internet users.5G services currently cover around 99.9 percent of districts across the country. Data tariffs average nearly USD 0.10 per GB, making connectivity widely accessible and affordable. The minister emphasized that India’s voice and data tariffs remain among the lowest globally.
He also underscored India’s achievements in building Digital Public Infrastructure, citing the global scale of the Unified Payments Interface as a model for interoperable digital payments. The Direct Benefit Transfer system was highlighted for enabling seamless transfer of government funds directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts, improving transparency and efficiency.
Lessons from Ireland’s Rural Broadband Push
Chambers shared insights from Ireland’s National Broadband Plan, describing it as a framework offering valuable lessons in delivering universal, meaningful, and affordable connectivity, particularly to rural and remote areas.He also pointed to Ireland’s ongoing multi-billion-euro fibre rollout project across the country and acknowledged the significant contribution of the Indian community to Ireland’s economy, innovation ecosystem, and job creation.
Strengthening Trade and Technology Ties
The meeting also reflected on the growing trade relationship between India and Ireland, which accounts for a significant share of India’s trade with the European Union.Both countries signaled their intent to deepen cooperation in telecommunications policy, emerging technologies, and regulatory frameworks, positioning India and Ireland for closer collaboration in the evolving global digital landscape.
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