Riyadh: India has urged regulators worldwide to move beyond traditional rule-enforcing roles and instead become digital ecosystem builders, Union Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya M. Scindia told a global gathering Monday.
Speaking virtually at the International Telecommunication Union’s Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR) 2025, Scindia framed regulation as a “garden to be nurtured” rather than a “fence to restrict,” pushing for inclusive frameworks, innovation sandboxes, and citizen-centric policies.
India’s 5G rollout, spanning 776 districts and over 300 million users, was cited as proof of this new approach, alongside initiatives like Aadhaar, BharatNet, and PM-WANI. Scindia called for harmonized spectrum rules, disaster-resilient networks, and a global Digital Consumer Charter.
Highlighting India’s AI governance framework, Scindia said regulation must balance innovation with ethics and safety, citing the ₹10,371 crore IndiaAI Mission as a model.
“Regulation is no longer just about licenses or penalties,” he said. “If we succeed, we will not merely connect people—we will empower them. We will not just build networks—we will build nations.”
GSR 2025, hosted in Riyadh, brings together regulators from 190 countries to debate digital governance under the theme Regulation for Sustainable Digital Development.
