In Short:
India has gained significant leadership in the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) Standardization Sector, securing positions in all 10 Study Groups. The country now holds the Chair position in one group and Vice-Chair roles in the remaining nine and the Standardization Committee for Vocabulary (SCV), increasing its leadership count from 7 to 11 since the last assembly in 2022. The ongoing ITU World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA) is taking place in New Delhi, focusing on emerging technologies like AI and digital infrastructure. This event aims to set the standardization agenda for the next four years.
Exciting Leadership Wins for India at ITU-T
In a remarkable achievement, **India** has secured leadership positions in all **10 Study Groups** of the **International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU)** Standardization Sector (ITU-T). This news was announced by the **Ministry of Communications** in a statement released over the weekend.
Strengthening Leadership Positions
The Ministry proudly shared that, “While India retained the **Chair** position in one group, it secured **Vice-Chair** positions in all other 9 Study Groups and the **SCV Committee**.” This marks a significant increase in leadership roles for India, growing from **7** positions in **WTSA-2022** to a commendable **11** positions in **WTSA-2024**.
Host of the WTSA 2024
Currently, New Delhi is buzzing with activity as it hosts the **ITU World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA) 2024**. Inaugurated by **Prime Minister Narendra Modi** on October 15, 2024, this prestigious event will run until October 24, 2024. The WTSA is rather special this year, as it’s the first time it’s being held in the **Asia-Pacific** region. This assembly will chart the course for **ITU-T’s** standardization efforts over the next four years (2024-2028).
Topics on the Agenda
The discussions currently taking place at WTSA are both innovative and crucial. They focus on advancing standardization in emerging technologies and developing new ITU-T Resolutions on numerous exciting topics, including **Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)**, **Artificial Intelligence (AI)**, **post-quantum cryptography**, the **metaverse**, **Over-the-top (OTT)** services, and **sustainable digital transformation**. Not only are new resolutions being considered, but existing ITU-T Resolutions are also being updated.
Path Ahead for ITU-T
Once the roadmap is finalized during WTSA-24, the various **ITU-T Study Groups** are set to take up the mantle of standardization activities, including developing robust standards and comprehensive technical reports.
Overview of the Study Groups
The work of **ITU-T** will continue under its 10 defined Study Groups, which cover a range of important areas, including:
- SG2 (Operational Aspects)
- SG3 (Economic & Policy Issues)
- SG5 (Environment, EMF & Circular Economy)
- SGC (Merger of SG9: Broadband Cable & TV and SG16: Multimedia & Digital Technologies)
- SG11 (Protocols, Testing & Combating Counterfeiting)
- SG12 (Performance, QoS & QoE)
- SG13 (Future Networks)
- SG15 (Transport, Access & Home)
- SG17 (Security)
- SG20 (IoT, Smart Cities & Communities)
Additionally, **Hemendra K Sharma**, from the **Department of Telecommunications (DoT)**, has been elected as the **Vice-Chair** of the **SCV (Standardization Committee for Vocabulary)**.
These Study Groups comprise experts dedicated to developing international standards for telecommunications technologies, leveraging technical insights from ITU members. The election of Chairs and Vice-Chairs takes place during the WTSA, ensuring that leadership reflects the best in the industry.
