India Calls for Global Shift in Digital Governance at ITU GSR 2025.

Digital Governance at ITU GSR 2025

Introduction

At the International Telecommunication Union’s Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR 2025) held in Riyadh, India emerged as a thought leader in digital governance, urging a transformation from traditional regulation to inclusive, innovation-led frameworks that empower societies globally.

Key Highlights from the Event

1. From Gatekeepers to Ecosystem Builders

Union Minister of Communications, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, called on global regulators to evolve from mere license-issuers to ecosystem builders focused on:

• Proactive ecosystem design
• Innovation via regulatory sandboxes
• Citizen-centered trust and data protection .

His powerful statement—“If we succeed, we will not merely connect people— we will empower them. We will not just build networks—we will build nations”—encapsulates India’s visionary shift

2. India’s Digital Transformation as a Global Model

Scindia spotlighted India’s strides in digital inclusion:

• 5G rollout covering 99.9% of districts (776 districts) and reaching over 300 million users
• Reforms like the Telecommunications Act, 2023 and Telecom Cybersecurity Rules, 2024, tailored for the AI and quantum era
• Examples of Digital Public Infrastructure: Aadhaar, Jan Dhan, PM-WANI, BharatNet, and India Post—described as “living arteries of empowerment” .

3. Proposals for Global Digital Cooperation

He also proposed several forward-looking global initiatives:

• Harmonised spectrum bands to bring down costs
• Disaster-resilient, green networks
• A Digital Consumer Charter as a global benchmark for digital fairness, transparency, and trust.

4. India’s Unique Positioning

India’s presence at GSR 2025 reinforces its emergence as both the world’s largest digital society and a regulatory innovator committed to fostering trust, inclusivity, and global harmonization in digital governance .

Relevance for UPSC Aspirants

• GS Paper II (Governance): Illustrates regulatory reforms, decentralisation, and policy innovation in the digital era.
• GS Paper III (Science & Tech / Infrastructure): Showcases digital inclusion, cybersecurity frameworks, and broadband proliferation.
• Prelims 2025: Key terms for recall include GSR 2025, regulatory sandboxes, Digital Consumer Charter, and public digital platforms like Aadhaar.

Suggested Mains Questions

1. “Discuss how India’s shift towards ‘enabling regulation’ at GSR 2025 sets a model for inclusive digital governance.”
2. “Evaluate the significance of India’s Digital Public Infrastructure as a tool for empowerment and how it can serve as a global benchmark.”