Modi urges global framework for ethical AI, cyber security and data privacy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged standards bodies to create a global framework to ensure that artificial intelligence is ethical, secure and inclusive. Speaking at the 8th edition of the India Mobile Congress, he also emphasised that cyber security had to be paramount as no country was isolated from its impact.

Telecom industry leaders pushed for policy reforms to ensure localisation of data and combating digital fraud, as well as for regulatory clarity on satellite broadband services. The annual conclave was held alongside the International Telecommunication Union World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA) 2024.

“I would ask WTSA to deliberate on how to make telecommunications safe for everyone. In an interconnected world, security cannot be an afterthought,” Modi said.

“India’s Data Protection Act and National Cyber Security Strategy reflect our commitment to building a safe digital environment. (WTSA) members should create standards that are inclusive, secure, and adaptable to future challenges, including ethical AI and data privacy standards that respect the diversity of nations,” he said.

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The prime minister underscored the need for clear ‘dos and don’ts’ at a global level on the lines of regulations for the aviation sector that lay down technical, legal, and operational requirements to ensure safety and security.

“For this, we have to work together. Global institutions have to take responsibility. We have to ensure that our future is not just technically strong but is also ethically sound. The future should have innovations as well as inclusion,” Modi said. 

India is framing digital personal data protection rules that cover personal privacy, media disinformation, accountability of tech giants, and other issues of societal importance.

“Be it the ancient Silk Route or today’s technology route, India’s only mission is to connect the world and open new doors of progress,” Modi said.

Telecom minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said WTSA and the International Telecommunication Union were working on setting standards for 6G networks by 2030, and India was for the first time involved in establishing these global standards.

“The telecom ministry is also working on a separate programme to localise and produce chips specifically for the telecom sector’s usage,” Scindia said.

The telecom industry’s wish list

As India’s digital infrastructure rapidly evolves, telecom leaders advocated for policy reforms to ensure localization of critical data and support for AI and satellite services across the nation.

Akash Ambani, chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd, urged the government to expedite updates to India’s data centre policy, emphasizing the importance of keeping critical data within the country. 

“We request the government to expedite the updating of the 2020 draft of the data centre policy (to ensure) that Indian data should remain in India data centres… Indian companies ready to set up AI and machine learning data centres should get all necessary incentives, including incentives for power consumption,” he said.

Reliance Jio, India’s largest telecom services provider, has been actively introducing AI models and services at affordable prices for Indian consumers. 

Bharti Airtel chairman Sunil Mittal advocated for funding telecom companies through the Universal Services Obligation Fund (USOF) to extend satellite services and urged that satellite companies seeking to serve urban customers operate under the same regulatory framework as telecom operators.

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“Those satellite companies which have ambitions to come into urban areas serving elite retail customers need to take telecom licences like everybody else… They need to buy spectrum as telecom companies buy, they need to pay the licence fee as telecom companies do, and also secure the networks like telecom companies do,” Mittal said.

Mittal-backed OneWeb Eutelsat is preparing to launch satellite services in India but is awaiting spectrum allocation.  

The new Indian telecom law allows for direct spectrum allocation for satellite broadband services.

Mittal added that 5G network rollouts were happening rapidly, and in 12-18 months every part of the country would be connected through powerful 5G network. He also noted that India’s ambitions to be a semiconductor destination have led to a number of initiatives by the government to begin local manufacturing.

Vodafone Idea chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla also weighed in, highlighting the company’s recent ₹18,000 crore fundraising, which has enabled it to launch a capital expenditure cycle. This includes the first phase of capex deals worth $3.6 billion with Nokia, Ericsson, and Samsung for network equipment supply over the next three years.

Birla also stressed the importance of combating spam, fraud, and phishing scams—rising concerns as mobile networks expand and become more ubiquitous.