India, Germany Deepen Telecom Ties Under JDI
Scindia, Wildberger push 6G, quantum, secure digital networks
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 19th Feb: India and Germany on Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation in telecommunications and digital transformation following the signing of a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) earlier this year.
The bilateral meeting was held at Sanchar Bhawan between Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia and Germany’s Federal Minister for Digital Transformation and Government Modernization, Karsten Wildberger.
The discussions followed the signing of the JDI on January 10, 2026, during the India–Germany Summit. The declaration establishes a forward-looking framework for structured collaboration in telecommunications and digital governance under the broader Indo-German Strategic Partnership.
Both sides described the JDI as a milestone reflecting shared values of openness, trust, innovation, and resilience in digital ecosystems. The framework provides for policy dialogue, exchange of best practices, scientific cooperation, and joint work plans.
Scindia said the partnership must move toward structured and outcome-driven implementation. He highlighted India’s digital transformation, noting that the country has over 1.23 billion telecom subscribers and nearly a billion internet users, with 5G coverage reaching almost all districts. He underlined India’s affordable data tariffs and the global success of Digital Public Infrastructure initiatives such as UPI.
The German minister appreciated India’s technological progress and expressed interest in collaboration in advanced telecom systems, digital governance, quantum encryption, and secure information transport. He emphasized Germany’s focus on 6G technologies and the importance of engaging closely with India in shaping future standards.
Both sides agreed to convene the first high-level meeting under the JDI framework soon to finalize a two-year work plan with defined timelines and stakeholder participation.
The discussions covered cooperation in 5G-Advanced, 6G standardization, network modernization, trusted telecom architectures, Open RAN ecosystems, quantum communication, AI in telecom, cybersecurity, and supply chain resilience.
India also sought Germany’s support for its candidature in upcoming International Telecommunication Union elections, including the nomination of M. Revathi for Director of the Radiocommunication Bureau and India’s re-election to the ITU Council.
The meeting reaffirmed both countries’ commitment to building secure, interoperable, and future-ready digital infrastructure through sustained collaboration.
