India is keen to become an end-to-end partner to countries that are looking to empower citizens through low-cost communication solutions and digital infrastructure, Telecom Secretary Aruna Sundararajan informed.
Sundararajan said that while deployment of physical infrastructure takes longer at times, the digital infrastructure can help overcome such deficits. Building a robust telecom infrastructure has become a necessity for countries as they look for ways to empower citizens with communications access.
According to ET, citing India’s prowess in software services, laying down digital infrastructure, and design capabilities, Sundararajan said the country is keen to share technology, training expertise, and know-how with other nations that face “similar challenges”.
“India is willing to share technology and the expertise in training people because we want to ensure that this is a full-fledged partnership, not a buyer-supplier arrangement,” she said addressing India Telecom 2018, an international ICT expo. India has significant capabilities and is willing to handhold other countries that are looking for low-cost solutions in telecom, she added.
“We have to do frugal innovation, we have solutions that are extremely affordable,” she said, adding that Bharat Net project, which is the world’s largest rural broadband deployment, has been a showcase of affordable technological innovation.