India for common tech research fund in Asia Pacific

Friday, 02 July 2004, 19:30 IST
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BANGKOK: India has called for the creation of a common research and development fund in the Asia Pacific region to exploit the potential of IT and communications technology to make basic services available to people. Addressing a ministerial conference on broadband and ICT development here Thursday, India's Communications and IT Minister Dayanidhi Maran said the fund could be used by identified centres of excellence in different countries. "The governments and the industry can perhaps fund this research, along with contributions from the UN as well as multi-lateral funding agencies," Maran said. He mooted the idea of setting up of an "East-West information super highway" to have broadband connectivity from Iran to Vietnam via Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia and Cambodia. Maran said there was a need to share resources and strategies in the Asia Pacific region as IT and communications technology were key tools for eradicating illiteracy, poverty and hunger. "Internet and broadband access are widely recognised as catalysts for economic and social development of the country," he said. "Not only will these contribute to economic growth, but they would also enable the development of a vast pool of skilled manpower." Maran said most economies were still struggling to realise nationwide broadband access principally because of high fixed cost of network development. "There is a need to pay attention to the price component. Internet and broadband are currently an expensive proposition for the major segment of our population, which is extremely price sensitive. "Cost effective infrastructure including that of handsets as well as reasonable tariff rates will determine the future growth of Internet and broadband access in developing countries." Referring to progress made by some countries in broadband services, he said: "We look forward to exploring possibilities of cooperation between India and other countries of the region, particularly in the field of mobile telecommunication."
Source: IANS
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