The world’s global institutions should work on a common global governance framework for digital technologies, especially around ethical use of artificial intelligence and data privacy, while respecting the diversity of various countries, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Tuesday. “Time has come that the global institutions of the world work on a framework for digital technologies. The framework should consist of the dos and don’ts. Most digital pools and applications are beyond the boundaries of any particular country. No country can protect its citizens from cyber threats on its own. We have to work together,” PM Modi said during his inauguration speech at the International Telecommunication Union’s World Telecommunication Standardisation Assembly (ITU-WTSA) and the India Mobile Congress. “Like how we have a global framework in the aviation sector, the digital world needs a similar approach… How telecommunication can be made safe for all, security should not be an afterthought in an interconnected world… We need Ethical AI and data privacy global standards which respect diversity of different countries,” the PM said. He said that in India there are 120 crore mobile phone users, 95 crore internet users, and more than 40 per cent of the world’s real-time digital transactions happen in the country. “The fact that the WTSA and IMC are happening at the same time is important. WTSA’s goal is to work on global standards and IMC’s big focus is on services. That's why today’s programme brings standards and services on the same stage,” he said. “In the 21st century India's mobile and telecom journey is a matter of study for the whole world. The world saw mobile and telecom as a service. We saw it not just as a mode of connectivity but equity and opportunity. The technology is helping close the gap between cities and villages, and rich and poor,” PM Modi said. Outlining four key pillars of the Digital India programme, PM Modi said that devices should be affordable, digital connectivity should reach every corner of the country, data should be accessible to everyone and the approach should be digital-first is our goal. “We understood very early on that in India, phones wouldn't become cheaper until they were getting made in the country. In 2014 India had two mobile manufacturing units. Today, there are more than 200. Earlier we used to import most of the phones, today, we are making six times more phones than earlier. We are exporting phones too,” the PM said. “From chips to finished products, we are driving to create a completely made in India phone,” he added.
