The Fifth Global Standards Symposium, GSS-24, concluded today in New Delhi. It is the first time that this major event is being held in the Asia-Pacific region. Co-organized by the International Telecommunication Union and the Department of Telecommunications, Government of India, it attracted a record number of 1,500 leading policymakers, innovators, and experts from around the world. The meetings will involve reflections on the future of digital transformation, taking a sharp look at the critical role that international standards play in making the next wave of emerging technologies possible.
Closing ceremony. Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development welcomed India for the transformation that it has undertaken under the able leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He said, “International standards development must be inclusive and democratic, reflecting the needs of all regions and encouraging participation from developing countries.” “As we close this outstanding symposium, I am confident that the standards we establish are much more than mere technical standards-they are moral guides that indicate our goal toward a shared future of progress around the world.”. India is ready to take this journey-not alone but as partners with all of you.
The symposium, titled “Charting the Next Digital Wave: Emerging Technologies, Innovation, and International Standards,” focused attention on the need for unified governance and standardization of emerging technologies. GSS is a high-level platform for discussion and coordination of emerging issues in technology and standardization. Addressing the inauguration of the event, Union Minister of Communications and Development of the North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, spoke on India as a hub for global telecommunications and digital innovation.
The salient theme sessions included open-source technologies, blockchain-based authentication, AI, and the Metaverse implications on public services and industry. The symposium demanded stringent international standards of AI governance and how developed countries are miles ahead in gap of standards from less developed nations.
Dr. Rajkumar Upadhyay, Chief Executive, C-DoT served as the Chairman GSS-24; it was for the first time that India has taken the lead in this symposium. The conference concluded with a strong Outcome Document, which rendered it lucid that international standards do indeed contribute to driving the digital transformation in this world. It also brought forth the promise that AI and the Metaverse can unfurl in urban planning and public services, addressed the AI for Good initiatives, and renewed India’s commitment to the United for Smart Sustainable Cities (U4SSC) initiative.
The Global Standards Symposium 2024 laid a foundation for the next set of emerging technologies and proved that international cooperation and standardization can be innovation drivers while growth is inclusive. The outcomes will lead discussions at the forthcoming World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA-24), to take place in New Delhi from 15 to 24 October, 2024.