New Delhi, 11 June 2025 — India is hosting the third meeting of the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU-T) Focus Group on Artificial Intelligence Native for Telecommunication Networks (FG-AINN), marking a significant step toward the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into next-generation telecom systems. Organised by the Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC) under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the three-day event underscores India’s growing influence in shaping global standards for AI-native networks.

During the inaugural session, Mr. Sanjeev Bidwai, Member (T), Digital Communications Commission, emphasised that AI-native networks represent a transformative approach to telecom infrastructure. He highlighted India’s key initiatives in this domain, including the development of Bharat Gen, India’s first government-funded multimodal large language model for Indian languages. He also noted ongoing projects by IITs and C-DOT that focus on AI-driven network automation and digital twin technology. Mr. Bidwai stressed the need for ethical deployment of AI, ensuring digital sovereignty, explainability, and the evolution of regulatory frameworks.

In a video address, Mr. Seizo Onoe, Director of the ITU’s Telecommunication Standardisation Bureau, highlighted the transformative potential of AI-native networks to enable automation, self-management, and real-time optimisation, all essential for meeting future connectivity demands.

Ms. Atsuko Okuda, Regional Director, ITU Asia-Pacific, recognised the Asia-Pacific region as a crucial hub for digital innovation. She emphasised the importance of AI-native networks in supporting smart, secure, and inclusive communication infrastructure. Ms. Okuda also called for collaborative efforts to bridge the digital divide and accelerate AI adoption across sectors such as healthcare, education, and urban development.

India also used the platform to propose hosting the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2030 (PP-30) and reiterated its candidacy for continued membership in the ITU Council for the 2027–2031 term. Notably, India nominated Ms. M. Revathi as a candidate for Director of the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau (2027–2030), marking a potential milestone as she would be the first woman and first regional nominee for this position.

The event is being attended by high-level officials, including Mr. Niraj Verma, Mr. Rudra Narayan Palai, Mr. Deb Kumar Chakrabarty, Mr. Shubhendu Tiwari, and Dr. Rajkumar Upadhyay. Academicians, industry leaders, and international delegates are also actively participating in the discussions.

A highlight of the event is the FG-AINN Build-a-Thon 2025, scheduled for 13 June. This collaborative coding challenge will involve participants from academia, industry, and startups in developing AI-native telecom solutions. Sessions throughout the conference will explore federated learning, AI in 6G, autonomous agents, and SIM verification using facial recognition, among others.

Formed in July 2024, the FG-AINN is tasked with redefining network architectures to incorporate AI as a foundational element. Its work is expected to contribute significantly to global standards, fostering intelligent, adaptive, and resilient telecom systems for the future.

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