Lok Sabha Question No. 3407 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-22
Subject: Digital Connectivity with ASEAN
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Shrirang Appa Barne, VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT, ANANDRAO  ADSUL, PRITAM GOPINATH MUNDE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3407 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22 ND   MARCH, 2017

## DIGITAL CONNECTIVITY WITH ASEAN

3407.  SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE: SHRI VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT: SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL: DR. PRITAM GOPINATH MUNDE:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the  Government proposes to  partner  with  Association  of  South  East  Asian Nations (ASEAN) and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries to enable digital connectivity between the said countries and regions;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the strategic and transformative impact thereof;
- (c) whether the Telecom Equipment and Service Export Promotion Council (TEPC) has organized an inter-ministerial meeting between India and the ASEAN countries and if so, the details and the outcome thereof including the countries that participated in the said meetings;
- (d) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  launch  a  pilot  project  on  BSNL  network  to connect the villages of the country with the world and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the other steps taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS & MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

- (a) & (b) Yes Madam. The Government of India has taken key interest and initiated actions in the  engagement  with    Association  of  South  East  Asian  Nations  (ASEAN)  and  South  Asian Association  for  Regional  Cooperation  (SAARC)  countries  to  enable  digital  connectivity  through telecommunications and ICT cooperation. This is reflected in its active engagements with ASEAN, that has grown from a 'Sectoral Partner' to  'Strategic Partnership' over years. With regard to SAARC, as  the  Chair  of  SAARC  Working  Group  on  Telecommunications  and  ICT,  the  Department  of Telecommunications (DoT) is driving digital initiatives on SAARC platform.

## ASEAN

The Government of India offered a Line of Credit of US$ 1 billion to promote projects that support physical and digital connectivity between India and ASEAN countries during 13 th ASEAN - India Summit at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 21 st November 2015. It was reiterated in the 14 th ASEAN-India Summit on 8 th September 2016 at Vientiane, Lao PDR.

Accordingly, a set of project proposals including setting up of a regional high-capacity fibre-optic network,  national rural broadband network,  digital villages in rural & remote areas and  capacity  building  programmes  was  circulated  to  ASEAN  countries  and  to  ASEAN Secretariat during 2016.

## SAARC

At the 18 th SAARC Summit held in Kathmandu in November 2014, the Government of India  renewed  its  commitment  along  with  other  SAARC  leaders  to  substantially  enhance regional  connectivity  through  communication  infrastructure  and  services  and  work  towards reducing  telephone  tariff  rates  for  facilitating  greater  contacts  among  the  people  of  the region. During the Summit, India had  offered to develop and launch a satellite dedicated to the SAARC countries.  India had  announced to extend National Knowledge Network (NKN) to the SAARC countries.

The DoT hosted the fourth meeting of the Working Group on Telecommunications and ICT  in  March  2015  at  New  Delhi,  in  which  all  the  SAARC  members  were  present.  As  an outcome  of  the  meeting,  a  SAARC  Joint  Committee  is  constituted  with  representatives  of SAARC members to work on reduction of call tariffs and providing sufficient connectivity.

The countries appreciated India's proactive  initiatives which  created a positive image for India. Further, the measures  resulted  in improved  relations and  coordination in telecommunication  matters.  The  steps  have  created  an  ongoing  engagement  platform  for cooperation in telecommunications and ICTs.

(c) In  December  2016,  the  DoT,  Ministry  of  External  Affairs  and  Telecommunication Equipment  and  Services  Export  Promotion  Council  (TEPC)  jointly  hosted  a  meeting  with ASEAN  missions  at  New  Delhi  to  discuss  'Digital  Connectivity'  projects  proposed  to  be implemented in ASEAN countries by TEPC members.  High Commissioners / Ambassadors / Representatives of all the ten ASEAN countries (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) participated in the meeting. The participants expressed active interest in the proposals and the proposals have been forwarded to ASEAN countries.

(d) The  Government  has  taken  steps  to  increase  telecommunication  penetration  in villages.  BharatNet  project  is  launched  to  provide    broadband  connectivity  to  Gram Panchayats in the country.

(e) Other steps taken by the DoT in the arena are viz. 'Capacity Building' and 'Piloting of CDoT (Centre for Development of Telematics) technologies' in CLMV (Cambodia, Laos PDR, Myanmar,  Vietnam)  countries  and  Indonesia  under  ASEAN  engagement.    The  Advance Level Telecom Training Centre (ALTTC), BSNL has conducted two training programmes for ASEAN  countries  in  new  technologies.  The  CDoT's  scoping  project  on  GPON  (Gigabit Passive Optical Network) is already initiated.

Under the aegis of DoT, the BSNL has executed connectivity for primary links with Nepal, Bhutan and secondary links with Nepal for SASEC (South Asian Sub Regional Economic Cooperation) countries to connect 'Research and Training Centres'.

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