India, ASEAN Reaffirm Digital Partnership at 6th ASEAN–India Digital Ministers’ Meeting

The meeting deliberated on key issues aimed at strengthening regional digital cooperation, narrowing digital divides, and enhancing digital resilience across the Indo-Pacific.

The 6th ASEAN–India Digital Ministers’ (ADGMIN) Meeting was held virtually today, reaffirming the shared commitment of ASEAN Member States and India to deepen cooperation in the digital domain, with a strong focus on digital inclusion, integration, and innovation-led growth.

The meeting was co-chaired by Shri Amit Agrawal, Secretary, Department of Telecommunications, Government of India, and Shri Nguyen Manh Hung, Minister of Science and Technology of Viet Nam.

Strengthening Regional Digital Cooperation

The ADGMIN is an annual platform bringing together Telecom and Digital Ministers from the 11 ASEAN Member States—Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste and Viet Nam—along with ASEAN’s Dialogue Partners, including India, Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The meeting deliberated on key issues aimed at strengthening regional digital cooperation, narrowing digital divides, and enhancing digital resilience across the Indo-Pacific.

Progress on ASEAN–India Digital Agenda

The Ministers acknowledged the adoption of the ASEAN–India Joint Statement on Advancing Digital Transformation at the 21st ASEAN–India Summit held on 10 October 2024 in Vientiane, Lao PDR. The Joint Statement outlines cooperation across priority areas including:

• Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)

• Financial Technology (FinTech)

• Cybersecurity

• Artificial Intelligence (AI)

• Capacity Building and Knowledge Sharing

• Sustainable Financing and Investment

The meeting reviewed progress under the ASEAN–India Digital Work Plan 2025, particularly capacity-building initiatives, and welcomed the ASEAN–India Digital Work Plan 2026, which focuses on:

1. ICT training and capacity-building programmes

2. The India–ASEAN Regulators’ Conference

3. Deployment of telecom and ICT solutions

The Ministers also welcomed the operationalisation of a special ‘ASEAN–India Fund for Digital Future’, aimed at supporting collaborative digital initiatives.

India Highlights Digital Transformation and DPI

Addressing the meeting, Shri Amit Agrawal reaffirmed India’s strong commitment to ASEAN–India digital cooperation and welcomed the theme “Adaptive ASEAN: From Connectivity to Connected Intelligence.”

“We have collectively worked to narrow digital divides, strengthen infrastructure, and ensure that digital transformation serves as a force for inclusion, resilience, and economic growth,” he said.

He highlighted India’s rapid digital transformation, including:

• Near-universal 4G coverage

• The world’s fastest 5G rollout

• Expansion of rural broadband through BharatNet

• India’s emergence as a major global mobile manufacturing hub

Shri Agrawal also showcased India’s Digital Public Infrastructure platforms—Aadhaar, UPI and DigiLocker—as scalable and proven models for inclusive growth and efficient service delivery. He highlighted the Sanchar Saathi initiative for telecom user protection and fraud prevention, offering to share best practices with ASEAN partners.

Collaboration on Artificial Intelligence

Emphasising the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence, India outlined the IndiaAI Mission, with a strong focus on Safe and Trusted AI. India expressed readiness to collaborate with ASEAN countries on AI capacity building, standards development, and practical use cases.

“As we move from connectivity to intelligence, Artificial Intelligence will be a defining force. India approaches AI with a clear conviction—innovation must be aligned with responsibility, transparency, and public trust,” Shri Agrawal said.

Shared Vision for an Inclusive Digital Future

The meeting reaffirmed the shared vision of India and ASEAN to build an open, secure, inclusive, and innovation-driven digital ecosystem, supporting mutual growth, regional integration, and long-term prosperity.