Minority Affairs Minister Shri Kiren Rijiju addresses opening ceremony of the United Nations Day of Vesak Shri Rijiju underlines significance of presence of Holy Buddha Relics in Ho Chi Minh City coinciding with the UN Day of Vesak celebrations
Shri Rijiju meets President of Vietnam, Mr. Luong Cuong
Posted On: 06 MAY 2025 4:45PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister of Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju addressed the opening ceremony of the United Nations Day of Vesak in Ho Chi Minh City today, which was also addressed by the President of Vietnam, Mr. Luong Cuong, President of Sri Lanka, Shri Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Sanghraja of Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, Thich Tri Quang and other leaders. Shri Rijiju conveyed warmest greetings and message on behalf of the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi. He noted that timeless teachings of Lord Buddha offer profound insights and solutions to most of the present global challenges. He mentioned that India’s initiative of Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) to promote awareness about the impact of individual choices on our shared planet was deeply rooted in Buddhist philosophy. He also invited the followers of Lord Buddha to visit the sacred sites associated with teachings of Lord Buddha in India and connect with this living heritage. Shri Rijiju also underlined the significance of the presence of Holy Buddha Relics in Ho Chi Minh City coinciding with the United Nations Day of Vesak celebrations.
Shri Rijiju separately met the President of Vietnam, Mr. Luong Cuong. While recognizing the healthy progress in multi-dimensional cooperation between India and Vietnam, both leaders’ sides affirmed support for further strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. Mr. Cuong appreciated Government of India’s sending of Holy Buddha Relics to Vietnam. The President of Vietnam accompanied by the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs & Minority Affairs of India, the Minister of Ethnic and Religious Affairs of Vietnam, Politburo Member and Party Secretary of Ho Chi Minh City paid their respects to the Holy Buddha Relics brought from Sarnath near Kashi to the pagoda (temple) in Ho Chi Minh City.
Shri Kiren Rijiju also visited an exhibition of Indian sculptures of Lord Buddha as well as digital restoration of Buddhist monuments in India on the sidelines of the United Nations Day of Vesak in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. He also visited a comparative exhibition of Buddhist art and sculptures in India and Vietnam which brings out that over one and half millennia old Buddhist connections between the two countries extended beyond spirituality to the fields of art and culture.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements, led by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, today (May 6) announced that the overall number of visitors to Hong Kong reached around 1.1 million following the conclusion of the five-day Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland (May 1 to 5) yesterday (May 5), representing an increase of 22 per cent over the same period last year. All aspects of receiving visitors operated smoothly.
Mr Chan said, “During this year’s Labour Day Golden Week, a variety of festive events were organised across Hong Kong. Apart from the festival-themed drone show over Victoria Harbour on May 1, there were also the Cheung Chau Bun Festival, the Buddha Bathing Ceremony at the Po Lin Monastery, the Buddha’s Birthday Carnival at Victoria Park, and a series of activities in Shau Kei Wan in celebration of the Tam Kung Festival, among others. These distinctive cultural experiences were well received, fostering a vibrant atmosphere and showcasing Hong Kong’s unique cultural charms, enabling both visitors and the general public to immerse themselves in Hong Kong’s authentic culture.”
Visitor flow, situation of control points, and traffic and public transport arrangements
During the Labour Day Golden Week, the Immigration Department recorded a total of around 1.1 million inbound visitors to Hong Kong through various sea, land and air control points. Among them, Mainland visitors accounted for about 920 000, representing a year-on-year increase of about 20 per cent and around 84 per cent of the total arrivals; and the number of non-Mainland visitors was around 180 000, representing a year-on-year increase of about 31 per cent.
The arrival of Mainland visitors peaked on May 2 with around 270 000 Mainland visitors arriving in Hong Kong. During the Golden Week, the Express Rail Link West Kowloon Control Point received the highest number of Mainland visitors, followed by the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point. The overall operation of the control points and transport services ran smoothly.
Throughout the Labour Day Golden Week, the Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre of the Transport Department (TD) operated 24 hours a day to closely monitor the traffic conditions and public transport services in all districts, boundary control points, major stations and tourist spots across Hong Kong, and took prompt measures to address service demands.
For cross-boundary traffic, the TD steered public transport operators to enhance their service capacity with a view to meeting the cross-boundary passenger demand. Regarding local public transport services, the TD co-ordinated with various public transport operators proactively to enhance their capacity, reserve sufficient vehicles and manpower to meet the travel needs of visitors, and deploy additional staff to maintain passenger order. The overall traffic conditions were mostly smooth during the festive period.
Mega events
The drone shows held at the Wan Chai Harbourfront and Gold Coast attracted a large number of locals and tourists. The raceday on May 4 and the Cheung Chau Bun Festival held yesterday also attracted numerous visitors to experience the unique atmosphere of horse racing tourism and the traditional festival of Hong Kong.
Major tourist attractions, inbound tour groups and hotel occupancy rate
Visitors to Hong Kong during the Labour Day Golden Week were spread across different tourist attractions in the city. The overall hotel occupancy rate reached 90 per cent in general. High visitor flow and good order were observed at major tourist attractions including theme parks, the Peak, Ngong Ping, temples, etc. Visitors were also found at outlying islands and hiking trails. Local areas like Old Town Central, Yau Ma Tei and Kennedy Town emerged as popular urban walking routes.
In terms of Mainland inbound tour groups, over 900 Mainland inbound tour groups brought nearly 33 000 visitors to Hong Kong during the Golden Week, with around 70 per cent engaged in overnight itineraries. The number of tour groups significantly exceeded the record of the same period last year by 60% and surpassed pre-pandemic levels.
“During the Labour Day Golden Week, the city was vibrant and bustling, with many people in the retail and catering sector indicating that they saw growth in their businesses compared to last year. The smooth operation of various hospitality arrangements was attributable to the collaboration of relevant government departments, organisations and industries in making comprehensive preparations and responses, as well as the co-operation of the public and tourists. The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau will follow up with relevant departments and the trade to review the experiences from the Labour Day Golden Week and optimise various aspects. These include enhancing the telecommunication network capacity at high-traffic points, strengthening information dissemination and improving amenities for tourists under the new travel patterns, so as to continue to provide quality travel experiences for tourists visiting Hong Kong in the future,” said Mr Chan.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
​In the 2024 Policy Address, the Chief Executive proposed organising Hong Kong ICH Month to promote the safeguarding and passing on of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). In support of the annual Cultural and Natural Heritage Day on the second Saturday of June designated by the country, the Intangible Cultural Heritage Office (ICHO) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will launch the first Hong Kong ICH Month in June with the theme of ICH Around Town, presenting a series of rich and diversified activities involving over 80 ICH performances, 60 interactive experiential booths and 20 ICH Highlight Tours to give the public and tourists greater insight into the ICH of Hong Kong and the Mainland, and enable them to experience the cultural richness of ICH and the pleasure it brings.
​Activities throughout the month will cover over 100 ICH items and bring together over 50 ICH practitioners, including representative bearers of national ICH. This annual ICH month is expected to attract over 100 000 participants.
​Among the fascinating activities to be held during Hong Kong ICH Month 2025, the free ICH Highlight Tours will bring the public and tourists to six selected districts, namely Yau Tsim Mong, Tsuen Wan, Tai Po, Sha Tin, Eastern and the Islands, and explore special ICH of the communities. Registration will open on May 16 and details will be announced later. Information maps and guides of the ICH Highlight Tours as well as videos will be rolled out at the end of May to help the public and tourists learn more about the relevant ICH items in these districts.
​Carnivals or fun days will be held in various districts across Hong Kong on several weekends and Sundays in June, which will be suitable for all ages. Under the theme of ICH festive events across Hong Kong, the Hong Kong ICH Month 2025 Opening Ceremony cum ICH Carnival to be held on May 31 and June 1 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza, and will have performances including Hakka unicorn dance in Hang Hau in Sai Kung, floating colours parade in Cheung Chau, Engor, Cantonese opera excerpts and dragon/lion dance. There will also be interactive booths showcasing Yip Man Wing Chun; rowing of dragon boat on land, which is a part of Hoi Luk Fung/Hoklo traditional wedding ceremonies (dragon boat dance); and unicorn dance, etc.
​The ICH Infinity∞ Fun Day at the Hong Kong ICH Centre in Sam Tung Uk Museum in Tsuen Wan, scheduled for June 14 and 15, will present an ICH fashion show and Nanyin performances with a fusion of tradition and innovation. Interactive booths featuring blown sugar and face threading techniques will also be available.
​The Vibrant ICH will be held at the New Town Plaza and Sha Tin Town Hall on June 22. Under the theme of “ICH Encounter: Hong Kong X Jiangxi”, in addition to performances and booths featuring Hong Kong ICH items including the Pok Fu Lam fire dragon dance, puppetry and the Chinese brush making technique, there will also be performances of the representative items of the national ICH such as Gannan traditional tea plucking opera and Xingguo mountain song.
​The ICH Flavours Carnival to be held at Oil Street Art Space on June 28 and 29 will feature the food culture of ICH. Participants can experience the making techniques of Jiangxi Gannan Hakka pounded tea, shrimp paste blocks and shrimp paste, sweet potato cake and rice dumpling with lye at the workshops and booths.
​Another highlight is the “Genesis and Spirit – Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition on Jiangxi’s Ganzhou Hakka Culture” (tentative title) at the Hong Kong Central Library, which runs from June 14 to July 1. The exhibition will introduce representative Hakka-related ICH items of Ganzhou in Jiangxi, together with around 40 other representative ICH items from the province. During the exhibition period, there will be over 40 performances, demonstrations, interactive experiential activities, talks, etc.
​The LCSD will collaborate with the cultural promotion organisation ICH June to hold a seminar on the theme of “Safeguarding and Developing ICH at the Same Time” at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum on June 14. Scholars and ICH bearers from the Guangdong-Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) will be invited to participate and explore the transmission and development of ICH in the GBA from an academic perspective. A “public unconference” will also take place on the same day to engage secondary school students, tertiary students, youth culture groups, and members of the public in discussions on ICH-related issues.
​Hong Kong ICH Month 2025 is presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the ICHO of the LCSD, with ICH June as a strategic partner. For details, please visit the website www.icho.hk/en/web/icho/hk_ich_month_2025.html.
​For programme details of strategic and other partners, please visit the following websites and social media:
NMCG Approves Key Projects for Ganga Rejuvenation via ecosystem restoration in 62nd Executive Committee Meeting The meeting chaired by Shri Rajeev Kumar Mital, Director-General, NMCG, focuses on sustainability in river rejuvenation
Namami Gange program has been recognised as one of the Top Ten, World Restoration Flagship initiatives by UN Decade (UNEP&FAO)
Posted On: 06 MAY 2025 3:48PM by PIB Delhi
In a significant push towards holistic river and environmental rejuvenation, the 62nd Executive Committee (EC) Meeting of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), chaired by Shri Rajeev Kumar Mital, Director-General, NMCG, focused on sustainability in river rejuvenation. Conservation of critical wetlands and promoting the reuse of treated wastewater through city specific reuse plans and were deliberated in the meeting. The Committee approved projects that align with the mission’s objectives of ecosystem restoration across the Ganga basin. It may be noted that Namami Gange program has been recognised as one of the Top TEN, World Restoration Flagship initiatives by UN Decade (UNEP&FAO)
In another important development, the EC gave the green light to the “Conserving and Sustainably Managing NathmalpurBhagad (Wetland) in Bhojpur District, Bihar” project, with an estimated cost of ₹3.51 crore. The project is the fifth wetland being undertaken under NGP. It aims to establish an effective management arrangement for NathmalpurBhagad. So far, under Namami Gange conservation of 4 wetlands have been already sanctioned at:
KalewadaJheel, Muzaffarnagar, UP
Namiya Dah Jheel,Prayagraj, UP
Reoti Dah Wetland, Ballia, UP
Udhwa Lake (Ramsar Site) Sahibganj, Jharkhand
It focuses on integrating biodiversity and ecosystem service values into river basin conservation and developmental planning. The project proposes a dual approach with interventions at the sub-basin (Ghaghara, Gomti & Sone confluence) and site levels (NathmalpurBhagad), including activities such as wetland delineation, hydrological regime enhancement, species and habitat conservation, ecological assessment, risk evaluation, capacity building, communication and outreach, and monitoring mechanisms to ensure the long-term health and sustainability of the wetland ecosystem.
Nathmalpur Wetland
The EC also approved funding of ₹34.50 lakh for the “Capacity Building Initiatives for making water-sensitive cities in the Ganga Basin” project for the preparation of City Plans and training on the reuse of treated wastewater for Agra and Prayagraj Districts in Uttar Pradesh. The project aims at preparation of city level reuse plan aligned to the National Framework for Safe Reuse of Treated Water (SRTW) developed by NMCG.
Nathmalpur Wetland
These project approvals reaffirm NMCG’s commitment to integrated water management and environmental restoration. As the Mission continues to evolve, such strategic decisions will play a pivotal role in achieving the vision of a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable river ecosystem for future generations.
The meeting was attended by Sh. Mahabir Prasad, Joint Secretary and Financial Advisor of Ministry of Power, (additional charge) River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti; Sh. Nalin Srivastava, Deputy Director General of NMCG; Sh. Anoop Kumar Srivastava, Executive Director (Technical); Sh. Brijendra Swaroop, Executive Director (Projects) Sh. S.P. Vashistha, Executive Director (Administration); Sh. Bhaskar Dasgupta, Executive Director (Finance); Sh. Prabhash Kumar, Additional Project Director of Uttar Pradesh SMCG and Sh. S. Chandrasekhar, I.F.S., Chief Conservator of Forest -cum- State Nodal Officer, Environment & Climate Change, Bihar.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
A spokesman for the Housing Department (HD) (May 6) reminded public rental housing (PRH) residents and applicants to declare truthfully their income and assets.
In a total of four separate prosecution cases, two public PRH residents and two PRH applicants who did not declare to the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) their ownership of domestic property/land in Hong Kong or landed property on the Mainland were convicted by the Court for making false statements knowingly or neglecting to furnish information specified in declaration forms.
The information of the four cases is provided below:
Case 1
A PRH resident living in Lee On Estate in Shatin did not declare in 2024 Income and Assets Declaration Forms that he owned land/property in Hong Kong. A subsequent investigation revealed that this resident owned a portion of the ownership of six pieces of lands in North District, New Territories at the material time.
Case 2
A PRH resident living at Lung Hang Estate in Shatin did not declare in a 2024 Income and Assets Declaration Form that he owned domestic property in Hong Kong. A subsequent investigation revealed that this resident had owned a domestic property in Tuen Mun with another person under a joint tenancy at the material time.
The PRH residents in Cases 1 and 2 were prosecuted for neglecting to furnish information specified in the declaration forms, contrary to Section 27(a) of the Housing Ordinance. They were convicted on April 28 this year in Shatin Magistrates’ Courts. Given the gravity of the offence, the defendants were respectively sentenced to a fine of $30,000 and two months’ imprisonment (suspended for 24 months), and a fine of $15,000 and two weeks’ imprisonment (suspended for 12 months). The HD had already earlier recovered one subject PRH flat and has issued a Notice-to-Quit to another subject tenant.
Case 3
A PRH applicant applied for PRH in 2017. She did not declare on the form of Applicant’s Declaration submitted to the HD in 2021 her ownership of domestic property in Hong Kong during the period from her application for PRH to the date she submitted the form. A subsequent investigation revealed that she owned a domestic property in Hung Hom during the said period and she would not be eligible for PRH application.
Case 4
A PRH applicant applied for the PRH in 2016. She did not declare on the form of Applicant’s Declaration submitted to the HD in 2023 her ownership of landed property at the date she submitted the form. A subsequent investigation revealed that she owned a landed property in Guangdong Province when she was submitting the form. She would not be eligible for PRH application.
The PRH applicants in Cases 3 and 4 were prosecuted by the HD for making a false statement in respect of their PRH applications, contrary to Section 26(1)(c) of the Housing Ordinance. They were convicted in the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts on April 28 this year. Given the gravity of the offences, the defendants were both sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment (suspended for 24 months) and were fined $8,000 and $5,000 respectively. The relevant PRH applications have been cancelled.
The spokesman reiterated that all households living in PRH should complete their Income and Asset Declaration Forms accurately, as doing so provides the foundation for the assessment of rent and their eligibilities for continuing residence. Before furnishing particulars specified in the requisition required by the HA, households should read the content and completion guidelines of the Income and Assets Declaration Forms carefully and compute their income and assets in accordance with the methods specified. Otherwise, they may be liable to prosecution for making a false statement, contrary to Section 26(1)(a) of the Housing Ordinance. If convicted, the maximum penalty is a fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months. Or they may be liable to prosecution for refusing or neglecting to furnish information as specified in a declaration form, contrary to Section 27(a) of the Housing Ordinance. If convicted, the maximum penalty is a fine of $25,000 and imprisonment for three months. The HD will take action to recover the undercharged rent incurred due to the inaccurate information furnished by the households, or even recover their PRH units.
The spokesman also reminded all PRH applicants that if any persons are convicted by the courts for making a false statement during the PRH application, contrary to Section 26(1)(c) of the Housing Ordinance, the maximum penalty is a fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months. The PRH application concerned will be cancelled while any allocated PRH unit will be recovered by the HD.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The spokesperson for Caritas Medical Centre (CMC) today (May 6) announces the root cause analysis report of a previous sentinel event:
A 75-year-old male non-communicative patient with a history of hypertension and Alzheimer’s disease was admitted to CMC for abdominal pain and constipation on February 28. According to hospital records, the patient started a puree diet instead of a minced diet in February.
The patient was restricted from eating and drinking until March 2, when a fluid diet was resumed as his condition improved. On March 3, a doctor ordered DAT (abbreviation of the term “diet as tolerated”), intending to resume the patient’s usual diet, while the term concerned was interpreted as a regular diet by a nurse. The patient choked while being fed a regular diet and passed away during the afternoon on the same day despite resuscitation efforts.
CMC announced the incident afterward and a Root Cause Analysis Panel was formed to analyse the incident. After reviewing the case, the Panel concluded that the root cause of the incident was the varied interpretations of the term concerned, which led to communication gaps and misaligned practices among the clinical team.
The Panel considered that multiple factors were involved in this sentinel event. There was a lack of communication between medical and nursing staff regarding dietary orders. The inclusion of a DAT as a standard diet type in some electronic systems might have created the perception that the instruction referred to a specific diet type. Additionally, some nursing teaching materials equate the term with a regular diet, which could also have contributed to varied understanding in daily clinical practice.
The Panel also found that DAT was not a standard option in the electronic bed panel system, but the term concerned was entered as free text, leading to varying interpretations of the patient’s dietary requirements. Moreover, there was no standardised process for patient assessment, diet selection, and documentation of diet tolerance.
The Panel made the following recommendations:
The interpretation of the term DAT should be aligned and communicated to staff;
The use of DAT as a diet type option in all forms and electronic systems should be removed to eliminate ambiguity;
The dietary management workflow from patient assessment to communication to meal provision should be enhanced; and
The terminology for diet options in the Dietetics and Catering Order System should be standardised with the electronic bed panel system. The interface between these systems should be improved to synchronise data and minimise the risk of misinterpreting dietary orders.
The Hospital Authority (HA) has aligned the definition of the term DAT. It is now explicitly defined as a flexible dietary approach tailored to the patient’s individual tolerance, preferences, and medical condition, subject to professional assessment. It does not imply any specific food texture.
CMC will implement the relevant recommendations to enhance medical and nursing staff training to ensure proper understanding and implementation of the aligned definition of the term concerned in daily practice. The hospital has met with the patient’s family to explain the report’s findings, and expressed deep condolences to the family members. CMC will maintain communication with the family and provide necessary assistance.
CMC has submitted the report to the HA Head Office. The hospital also expressed gratitude to the panel. Membership of the panel is as follows:
Chairperson:
Dr Lau Ka Hin
Clinical Stream Coordinator (Medical), Hong Kong East Cluster
Members:
Professor Chair Sek Ying
Vice-Director of Research, The Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong
Mr Chan Man Nok
Chief Nursing Officer, Nursing Services Department, Hospital Authority
Ms Sandy Chang
Cluster Manager (Dietetics), Kowloon Central Cluster
(Joined on March 6)
Dr Raymond Cheung
Chief Manager (Patient Safety and Risk Management), Hospital Authority
Mr Lam Yan Ki
Department Manager (Speech Therapy), Kowloon East Cluster
Dr Lau Chi Hung
Chief of Service (Surgery), Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Dr Ben Wong
Clinical Services Coordinator (Surgery), Caritas Medical Centre
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulates Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia on his historic second term The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP)
They agreed to remain in touch and looked forward to their next meeting
Posted On: 06 MAY 2025 2:07PM by PIB Delhi
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi held a telephone conversation with The Hon Anthony Albanese today and congratulated him on his historic re-election as the 32nd Prime Minister of Australia.
The Prime Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) between the two countries. They noted that in its five years, the CSP has seen robust cooperation developing across a diverse range of sectors. They stressed on the role played by the vibrant Indian origin diaspora in cementing bilateral ties.
The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and global matters of mutual interest and reiterated their commitment to working together in promoting a free, open, stable, rules-based and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
Prime Minister invited PM Albanese to visit India including for the Annual Summit and the QUAD Summit to be hosted in India later in the year. The leaders agreed to remain in touch.
Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia Inaugurates Bharat Telecom 2025; Highlights India’s Export Potential India Showcases Global Telecom Ambitions at Bharat Telecom 2025
Minister Scindia: “We’re not just connecting villages; we’re connecting futures. Every tower we raise, every byte we transmit, brings 1.4 billion people closer to opportunity”
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s bold vision and unwavering resolve have transformed India from a digital follower into a global digital leader — turning aspirations into infrastructure, and policy into progress.” Minister Scindia
Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar: “Today, India stands ready not merely as a market or consumer but as a creator, partner and trusted provider of world-class telecom solutions. The narrative has changed from a historical made-for-India to made-by-India.”
More than 130 foreign delegates from over 35 countries participate
Over 80 leading Indian Telecom and ICT companies showcased innovative products and solutions across multiple domains
Posted On: 06 MAY 2025 1:41PM by PIB Delhi
“Bharat Telecom is not just a conference — it is a declaration of India’s intent to shape the future of global connectivity through innovation, collaboration, and inclusive growth.” said Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Minister of Communications and Development of North Eastern Region, while inaugurating Bharat Telecom 2025 in New Delhi today. He said, “When ideas, innovation, and intent come together in harmony, they create not a cacophony, but a symphony — and Bharat Telecom is that symphony of global collaboration and opportunity.”
Organized by the Telecom Equipment and Services Export Promotion Council (TEPC), in collaboration with Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Bharat Telecom 2025 plays a significant role in India’s vision to become a global hub for telecom manufacturing, services, and exports. The event was inaugurated in the presence of Dr.Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, Minister of State for Communications, alongside industry leaders, foreign delegates, and innovators from across the telecom value chain. The two-day event Bharat Telecom 2025, besides providing an interactive platform for stakeholders, also showcases an Exclusive International Business Expo.
In his inaugural remarks, Minister Scindia further highlighted India’s growing role as a telecom exporter and a hub of innovation, backed by progressive reforms and production-linked incentives. “We’re not just connecting villages; we’re connecting futures. Every tower we raise, every byte we transmit, brings 1.4 billion people closer to opportunity”, Minister Scindia asserted. He highlighted, “It is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s bold vision and unwavering resolve that have transformed India from a digital follower into a global digital leader — turning aspirations into infrastructure, and policy into progress.”
Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia highlighted “In just 22 months, we connected 99% of our villages with 5G and brought 82% of our population onto the network, deploying 470,000 towers—this is not evolution; it is a telecom revolution.” He pointed out, “This digital highway we have built across India is not merely about communication—it is the infrastructure of infrastructure, empowering 1.4 billion citizens with access to healthcare, education, governance, and economic opportunity.”
The minister emphasized India’s extraordinary rise as a global digital powerhouse, attributing it to the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He pointed out that India has not only caught up with the world in areas like 4G and 5G, but is now leading the charge, with sweeping reforms and technological innovation shaping the country’s trajectory. Shri Scindia underlined the role of India’s telecom sector as a transformative force and described the nation’s evolution from expensive, limited mobile access in the 1990s to now being the world’s second-largest telecom market and the cheapest data provider.
Speaking at the session, Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, Minister of State for Communications, said, “There are moments in a nation’s journey when it not only participates in global conversations but defines their course. Today, India stands ready not merely as a market or consumer but as a creator, partner and trusted provider of world-class telecom solutions. The narrative has changed from a historical made-for-India to made-by-India.”
Dr. PemmasaniChandra Sekhar emphasized that India is undergoing a pivotal transformation in the global telecom arena, evolving from a consumer to a creator of technology. He highlighted that this progress was driven by the Digital India initiative launched a decade ago and supported by forward-thinking government policies under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. Citing initiatives like the production-linked incentive scheme, progressive spectrum management, and the Telecom Technology Development Fund, he pointed to India’s dramatic rise in domestic manufacturing, exports, and innovation. He further mentioned that India now plays a significant role in global supply chains, including producing 15% of the world’s iPhones. He concluded by outlining the country’s future focus on 6G leadership, satellite broadband expansion, and quantum communication networks to strengthen digital sovereignty.
Mr. Arnob Roy, Chairman, TEPC, in his welcome address said, “Bharat Telecom showcases the transformative power of India’s indigenous telecom ecosystem, highlighting our unparalleled growth and innovation in the global telecom industry.” He acknowledged the Indian government’s strategic policies that have fostered innovation and manufacturing in the Telecom sector, and invited delegates to explore the innovations at the Bharat Telecom exhibition 2025.
Bharat Telecom 2025 has been conceptualised to reinforce India’s position as a reliable and trusted telecom products manufacturing and export destination, by highlighting the country’s growing capabilities in telecom equipment, ICT services and next-generation digital technologies. Over 80 leading Indian Telecom and ICT companies showcased innovativeproducts and solutions across multiple domains.
The event saw enthusiastic international participation, with more than 130 foreign delegates from over 35 countries, representing government bodies, private enterprises etc. It also featured thematic exhibitions, conference sessions, high-impact B2B meetings, strategic networking sessions and knowledge-sharing forums focusing on cutting-edge communication technologies such as 5G, Optical Fibre, Broadband Infrastructure, Satellite Communication, IoT, AI-driven Networks and more.
About TEPC:
Established in 2009 under the Foreign Trade Policy of the Government of India, the Telecom Equipment and Services Export Promotion Council (TEPC) plays a vital role in promoting and facilitating the export of telecom equipment and services. Its mandate spans the entire telecom ecosystem, including ICT hardware and software, infrastructure products, system integration, consultancy, and service provision. TEPC serves as a key platform for diverse stakeholders such as equipment manufacturers, system integrators, service providers, and other entities operating within the telecom sector.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
“Smart Silver” Digital Inclusion Programme for Elders well received The Programme provides funding support to 12 district service organisations to set up a total of 40 community-based help desks across all 18 districts, and to provide regular and fixed-point training on digital technologies and technical support for elderly people aged 60 or above, particularly singleton or doubleton elderly people living in old districts and public housing. The implementing organisations use an easy-to-understand approach to encourage the elderly to learn how to use practical mobile applications and digital services in their daily lives. This includes using popular government mobile applications such as “iAM Smart”, eHealth, HA Go and My SmartPLAY as well as learning about cybersecurity, assisting the elderly in enhancing their ability to use digital technologies more effectively and appropriately.
To further strengthen the current work on digital inclusion for elderly people, the DPO will proactively co-ordinate and consolidate the “Smart Silver” Digital Inclusion Programme for Elders along with its digital inclusion measures, such as the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Outreach Programme for the Elderly, the Enriched ICT Training Programme for the Elderly and mobile digital service stations to achieve greater synergy among various programmes. For instance, elderly people who have completed the basic training on digital technologies at the community-based help desks will be introduced to participate in the Enriched ICT Training Programme for the Elderly if they seek to deepen their digital knowledge and enhance their digital capability. They can also serve as volunteers in the activities of the ICT Outreach Programme for the Elderly to introduce the use of digital technologies to other elderly people. Coupled with the online learning modules of the Elderly IT Learning Portal, the DPO comprehensively addresses the needs of the elderly in learning digital technologies.
“The DPO will continue to expand its regional collaboration network and encourage the implementing organisations of the ‘Smart Silver’ programme to bring together different sectors of the community, such as the District Services and Community Care Teams, the Senior Police Call, the innovation and technology industry and professional organisations, in the course of implementing the digital inclusion initiatives to benefit more elderly people. At the same time, the DPO actively reaches out to various District Councils (DC) to introduce the programme details, encourage collaboration among DC members, and leverage their community networks to further engage more elderly people, thereby enhancing the programme’s social impact. The DPO hopes that members of the public will actively encourage the elderly around them to participate in the digital inclusion activities of the Programme, and join hands with the Government to promote the adoption of digital technologies by the elderly, so as to build a digitally inclusive and caring society,” the spokesman added.