A confluence of factors have probably made India an ideal destination for the ITU office. With affordable smartphones and data, the country has more than a hundred crore mobile connections, making India the world’s most-connected democracy. The country’s digital inclusion brings a few aspects to mind. India has transferred more than 28 lakh crore rupees to the bank accounts of its citizens via Direct Benefit Transfers (DBTs).

Modi has said that more than 800 crore digital payments are made every month in India through UPI (Unified Payment Interface). Over seven crore e-authentications take place in India every day and over 220 crore vaccine doses were administered using the Co-Win platform in India.

“Telecom technology for India is not a mode of power, but a mission to empower,” said Modi during the inauguration. In 2014, the broadband connectivity had 60 million users; it is now beyond 800 million. The number of internet connections in India is more...