India Secures Approval to Host ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2030

Ø India likely to Host ITU Plenipotentiary Conference-2030

Ø DoT delegation actively participates in key deliberations; India reinforces engagement on global digital cooperation and ITU leadership

Key Highlights

· An Indian delegation led by Mukesh Kumar participated in the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Council 2026 meeting held in Geneva from 28 April to 8 May 2026.

· The delegation represented India in key discussions on global telecommunications, digital cooperation, and international telecom governance.

· India proposed hosting the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-2030) in India.

· The ITU Council accepted India’s proposal to host PP-2030, marking a significant step in India’s growing influence in global telecom and digital policy.

· The final approval for hosting PP-2030 is expected during the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2026 scheduled in Doha in November 2026.

· India made interventions on several important issues, including:

o ITU regional presence

o ITU membership matters

o Organisation of ITU events

o Global digital cooperation initiatives

· India actively campaigned for its candidatures in upcoming ITU elections.

· India organised a networking reception at the ITU premises on 30 April 2026, attended by representatives from 69 member states.

· During the reception, India promoted:

o Its candidature for re-election to the ITU Council

o The candidature of Revathi Mannepalli for Director of the Radio communication Bureau (BR)

· Dr. Revathi Mannepalli presented her vision for the ITU Radio sector during the event.

· India held 15 bilateral meetings with member states on the sidelines of the Council meeting to strengthen telecom cooperation and gather support for its candidatures.

· Jyotiraditya M. Scindia addressed the ITU Council virtually on 8 May 2026.

· The Minister announced India’s voluntary contribution towards implementation of World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA) resolutions.

· India’s contribution will support work in areas such as:

o 6G technology

o Artificial Intelligence (AI)

o Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)

o Sustainable digital transformation

· The initiative is expected to strengthen India’s role in global telecom standardisation and digital development initiatives.

· The ITU Council functions as the governing body of the ITU and consists of 48 elected member states.

· India has been a member of the ITU Council since 1952.

[ABS News Service/15.05.2026]

An Indian delegation led by Mukesh Kumar, Deputy Director General (International Relations), Department of Telecommunications (DoT), participated in the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Council 2026 meeting held from 28 April to 08 May 2026 in Geneva, Switzerland.

During the Council meeting, the DoT delegation along with the Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations office in Geneva actively participated in discussions on several key issues related to global telecommunications and digital cooperation, while showcasing India’s growing leadership in the digital and telecom domain.

India presented the proposal for hosting the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-2030) in India. The ITU Council accepted India’s proposal to host the PP-2030 conference, marking a major milestone in India’s growing role in shaping global telecom and digital policy discourse. India’s proposal is likely to be approved at ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2026 to be held in November 2026 at Doha, Qatar. The delegation also made interventions on several important subjects including ITU regional presence, ITU membership and organisation of ITU events, among others.

Strongly canvassing for India’s candidatures for ITU elections, India hosted a Networking Reception on 30 April 2026 at the ITU premises, which witnessed participation from 69 Member States. During the reception, India presented its candidatures for ITU Council re-election and for Director, Radio communications Bureau (BR). Dr Revathi Mannepalli, India’s candidate for Director (BR) presented her vision related to Radio sector of ITU during the reception.

On the sidelines of the Council meeting, 15 bilateral meetings were held with Member States to garner support for India’s candidatures and strengthen engagement with ITU Member States.

On 8 May 2026, the Union Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya M Scindia addressed the Council virtually and announced India’s voluntary contribution for implementation of WTSA resolutions including 6G, Artificial Intelligence, Digital Public Infrastructure, and Sustainable Digital Transformation. This contribution is also expected to create future opportunities for India in leading the work of the ITU and further contributing to global telecom standardisation and digital development initiatives.

About ITU Council

The ITU Council acts as the governing body of the ITU and comprises 48 elected Member States. It meets annually in Geneva to oversee the organisation’s strategy, policy, budget and financial control. India has been a member of the ITU Council since 1952.