India & International Telecommunication Union Sign Host Country Agreement

Context

Recently, India signed a Host Country Agreement with the International Telecommunication Union for establishment of Area Office & Innovation Center at New Delhi.

About the agreement

• HCA was signed in a virtual ceremony during the World Telecommunications Standardization Assembly-20 (WTSA-20) being held in Geneva, Switzerland.
• HCA provides the legal and financial framework for the establishment and operations of the Area Office and innovation center of ITU in New Delhi, India.

About the Area Office and innovation center

• The Area Office and Innovation Center is expected to be operational by mid-2022.
• Innovation Center will provide opportunities to academics, start-ups, and Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to showcase their innovation on a global stage.
• It will give impetus to research and development in telecommunication technologies in the South Asian region.
• The area office will serve South Asian countries namely Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and India.
• The office will help provide greater access and engagement to India and South Asian countries in global policy and standard formation in the field of telecommunication.

International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• ITU is the United Nations specialized agency responsible for information and communication technologies (ICTs). 
• It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
• It was established on 17 May 1865 as the International Telegraph Union, making it the oldest UN agency.
• It is open to all Member States of the United Nations. 
• India was a founding member of ITU.
• Earlier, India got elected as a member of ITU Council for another 4-year term - from 2019 to 2022. 
• India has remained a regular member since 1952.
• Currently, it has a membership of 193 countries and over 900 private-sector entities and academic institutions.
• Important publication of the ITU is the Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI). 
• India ranked 10th in the 2020 index.
• It promotes the shared global use of the radio spectrum, facilitates international cooperation in assigning satellite orbits, assists in developing and coordinating worldwide technical standards, and works to improve telecommunication infrastructure in the developing world.
• World Telecommunications Standardisation Assembly is a four-yearly global conference of ITU dedicated to standardisation of the Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs).

World Telecommunications Standardization Assembly (WTSA)

• WTSA is a four-yearly global conference of ITU dedicated to standardization of the Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs).
• WTSA defines general policy and adopts working methods and procedures for ITU-T.
• Article 18 of the ITU Constitution and Article 13 of the ITU Convention provides the functions of the WTSA.
• India has proposed to host the next WTSA to be held in 2024.
• India has taken many initiatives to develop telecom standards. 
• ITU recognized 5Gi standards developed in India.