IMC 2024: Day 2 highlights innovative tech & 6G ambitions
NEw Delhi: The 8th Edition of the Indian Mobile Congress (IMC) 2024, Asia's largest telecom, media, and technology forum, continues to showcase groundbreaking innovations and the integration of AI across sectors. Jointly organized by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), the event was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is taking place alongside the ITU-WTSA, with participation from over 120 countries.
On the second day, a breakfast meeting led by Jyotiraditya M Scindia, Minister of Communications, gathered CEOs from prominent global companies under the theme “Leading in the Moment: The Future is Now.” The day featured the inauguration of the International 6G Symposium, where Scindia emphasized India's ambition to lead in 6G innovation, building on its successful 5G rollout. He highlighted the importance of creating inclusive, accessible, and affordable standards, as well as enhancing cybersecurity frameworks. Scindia noted that as standards are set for 6G, India has a tremendous opportunity given its proven capabilities in technology, and engineering. “Our 6G standards characterised by unprecedented speed, low latency and transformative applications must be for all... inclusive and accessible and affordable, and only then will it represent true value for all of humanity,” the Minister said.
Additionally, Opensignal launched the Telecom Smart Cities Index, which evaluates the digital readiness of 50 Indian cities for smart transformation. The top-ranked cities included Srinagar, Agra, Faridabad, Jaipur, and Patna. A workshop involving academics from 5G test labs focused on enhancing indigenous 5G networks, enterprise private networks, and use cases across various industries. The day included over 100 sessions covering topics like equitable AI, cybersecurity, and the expanding role of telecom service providers in ensuring data protection.
Key industry leaders expressed optimism about India's digital future. Neeraj Mittal from DoT noted that India is becoming a global innovation hub in technology, while Telangana's IT Minister, D Sridhar Babu, highlighted the state's impressive technological workforce.
