**Executive Summary**
The Indian delegation participated in the ITU Council 2026 meeting in Geneva from 28 April to 08 May 2026 to strengthen global digital cooperation and telecom leadership. A major outcome was the acceptance of India’s proposal to host the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2030, with final approval expected in November 2026. India also announced voluntary contributions toward 6G, AI, and Digital Public Infrastructure to support global telecommunication standards.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Hosting Global Conferences**
* India proposed hosting the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-2030), which was accepted by the ITU Council.
* The formal approval of this proposal is scheduled for the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2026 in Doha, Qatar, in November 2026.
* **Candidatures and Elections**
* India is seeking re-election to the ITU Council.
* Dr. Revathi Mannepalli has been presented as India's candidate for Director of the Radiocommunications Bureau (BR).
* The delegation conducted 15 bilateral meetings and a networking reception for 69 Member States to garner support for these positions.
* **Strategic Interventions and Contributions**
* The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) made interventions regarding ITU regional presence, membership, and the organization of ITU events.
* India announced voluntary financial contributions to implement WTSA resolutions focusing on 6G, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), and Sustainable Digital Transformation.
* **Institutional Governance**
* India has maintained membership in the 48-member ITU Council since 1952.
* The ITU Council oversees the organization’s strategy, policy, budget, and financial controls annually in Geneva.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Government of India / Department of Telecommunications (DoT)**
**Impact**
The acceptance of the PP-2030 proposal marks a significant milestone in India’s role as a global policy influencer. The voluntary contributions and leadership bids enhance India's standing in international telecom standardisation.
**Action Required**
The DoT must continue diplomatic engagements and prepare for the final approval of the PP-2030 hosting rights at the upcoming conference in Doha in November 2026.
**Stakeholder: International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Member States**
**Impact**
Member States will benefit from India’s voluntary contributions toward 6G and AI development. The organization will see increased engagement from India in its regional presence and event management.
**Action Required**
Member States will need to review and vote on India’s candidatures for the Council and the Radiocommunications Bureau, and finalize the decision on the PP-2030 host city.
Key Entities Referenced
International Telecommunication Union (ITU): The United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies, acting as the parent body for global telecom cooperation and standardisation.
ITU Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-2030): The supreme organ of the ITU which India has proposed to host, representing a major milestone in India's role in global digital policy.
Department of Telecommunications (DoT): The primary Indian government department responsible for representing India's interests and leading the delegation at the ITU Council.
ITU Council: The governing body of the ITU that oversees strategy, policy, and budget, where India actively participates as an elected Member State.
WTSA Resolutions: Resolutions from the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly for which India announced voluntary contributions to support 6G, AI, and Digital Public Infrastructure.
Ministry of Communications
India Strengthens Global Telecom Leadership at
ITU Council 2026 in Geneva
India likely to Host ITU Plenipotentiary Conference-2030
DoT delegation actively participates in key deliberations;
India reinforces engagement on global digital cooperation
and ITU leadership
Posted On: 14 MAY 2026 5:30PM by PIB Delhi
An Indian delegation led by Shri 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 Shri 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.
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