India and Brazil on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen bilateral cooperation in telecommunications and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), on the sidelines of the BRICS ICT Track Meeting in Pune.
The MoU was signed by Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya M Scindia and Brazil’s Minister of Communications Frederico de Siqueira Filho.
The agreement seeks to deepen cooperation in digital innovation, strengthen digital infrastructure and promote technological collaboration in strategic and emerging areas of telecommunications and ICTs.
Speaking on the occasion, Scindia said the agreement would further deepen India-Brazil cooperation and create opportunities for collaboration in universal connectivity, cybersecurity, Digital Public Infrastructure, emerging technologies, capacity building and the exchange of best practices.
Broad framework for ICT cooperation
The MoU establishes a framework for regular exchange of information, experience and best practices, while promoting mutually beneficial cooperation based on equality, mutual benefit and mutual respect.
The areas of cooperation include telecommunications policies and regulations, Artificial Intelligence (AI), 5G and 6G technologies, Open RAN, Internet of Things (IoT), Direct-to-Device (D2D) connectivity, Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites and Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs).
The agreement also covers spectrum and satellite/orbit management, digital infrastructure, optical fibre and submarine cables.
Other areas include cybersecurity, universal and meaningful connectivity, digital inclusion, consumer protection, private networks, digital transition and efforts to reduce the environmental impact of ICTs.
The signing marks a step towards strengthening India-Brazil cooperation in telecommunications and ICTs and provides a forward-looking framework for collaboration in emerging technologies, digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, connectivity, capacity building and international cooperation.
