Global Digital Innovation: India driving Digital renaissance

• Dr. Neeraj Mittal (DoT)

• Shri Pankaj Pawar (Reliance Jio)

• Ravinder Takkar (Vodaphone India)

• Nunzio Mirtillo (Ericsson)

• Vimal Kumar (TCS)

• Mahendra Nahata (HFCL)

• Savi Soin (Qualcomm)

• John Giusti (GSMA)

• Santosh Vishwanathan (Intel)

• Nitin Pai (Tata Elxsi)

• Shri P.K. Purwar (BSNL)

• Shri Sanjay Malik (Nokia)

• Shri Sanjay Kaul (Cisco)

• Shri Rakesh Vij (Truminds)

• Shri Vishak Raman (Fortinet)

• Shri Ankit Agarwal (Sterlite Technologies Limited)

• Saurabh Kumar Sahu (Accenture)

• Anand Athreya (Tejas Networks)

• Rajdip Kumar Gupta (Route Mobiles)

• Prof. (Dr.) Manoj Choudhary (Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya)

• Dr Rajkumar Upadhyay (C-DoT)

• Akhilesh Tuteja (KPMG in India)

• The speakers agreed that collaborative efforts are essential for addressing complex challenges.

• Streamlining Business Processes was discussed in detail, hence simplifying the ease of doing business is crucial for efficiency. Managing costs effectively is essential, especially when dealing with cost disadvantages.

• Long-term strategic planning is essential for achieving sustainable growth and innovation has context menu.

• Establishing standard architecture for cybersecurity is key to safeguarding digital assets based on zero trust architecture.

The Code of Innovation – Generative AI’s Transformative Footprint

• Thirumaran Ekambaram (Ericsson)

• Dr Shailesh Kumar (Reliance Jio)

• Azhar Sayeed (Red hat)

• Pranav Arora (Accenture)

• Anku Jain (MediaTek)

• Pratibha Sirish Batchu (Bosch)

• Milind Pathak (Route Mobile)

• KG Purushothaman (KPMG in India)

• Rohit Jain (Bharti Airtel Ltd.)

• Hardeep Saini (Qualcomm)

• Kishore Annapureddy (Tanla Platforms)

• Abhay Savargaonkar (Nokia)

• Saumer Phukan (Intel)

• Tejas Jani (Leeway Softech)

• Vikas Agarwal (TCS)

• Sumantra Mukhejee (KPMG in India)

• The session began with the presentation from Thirumaran Ekambaram about Transformational AI and Generative AI at the rate it is being implemented and challenges associated with this

• The session began with opening remarks from KG Purushothaman mentioning the post-2022 jump in large language models (LLM) and how more and more companies and CEOs are using these services for improving their current workflow.

• This followed with remarks from Anku Jain mentioning the three levels of generative AI and the need to introduce efficiency and the current model created by Mediatek.

• Azhar Sayeed remarked that Generative AI is making a more refreshing infrastructure and a lot of models are open sourced. There is need for better training data to improve these AI models.

• Kishore Annapureddy mentioned that Generative AI has its own risks and it is not completely reliable. The real expertise to mold it resides with humans at this point of time.

• This followed with the panelists discussing that there is a need for AI to be democratized by reducing the exceptionally high compute cost and LLMs can be expanded into different languages and different services.

• Abhay Savargaonkar remarked that just like a man is known by the company he keeps, Generative AI depends on the type of dataset it is exposed to. Hence, Generative AI needs to go through as much variety of datasets as possible. Organisations also need to invest sufficiently in employee training initiatives to ensure that the future corporate world is equipped to manage AI efficiently.”

• Finally, there was discussion over guardrails and whether they should be regulated by an external body or should they be self-regulated

Unlocking the power of Telecom: Skilling for a connected world

• Atul Kumar Tiwari (MSDE)

• Dr. Nirmaljeet Singh Kalsi (NCVET)

• Pankaj Mohindroo (ICEA)

• Priyanka Anand (Ericsson)

• Carsten S. Schröder (DADB)

• Arvind Bali (TSSC)

• Abhay Jare (AICTE)

• In this session it was discussed about the people requirement in telecom sector and shown how it is growing and becoming one of the leading industries.

• This has been reaching out to companies for upskilling, re- skilling and internship. Several courses are credited, converted into the certification that will allow the skilling to integrate at each level. They are pushing entrepreneurial mindset by hosting smart India hackathon.

• 2 million students participated in this hackathon from many institutions and brought in the innovation culture through their courses. Govt should leverage digitization to accelerate learning. There are several courses designed with the credit system under the govt policy - National Education Policy

Affordability Accessibility and Enhancement- A key to 5G Adoption

• Ludvig Landgren (Ericsson)

• Arno Van Huyssteen (Canonical)

• Saurabh Arora (Qualcomm)

• Vishakha Saigal (Reliance Jio)

• Dr. Rajeev Saraf (Lepton Software)

• Lt. Gen. Dr. S.P. Kochhar (COAI)

• Pratiyush Kumar
  (Ceragon)

• Sachin Arora (Giesecke & Devrient)

• Anuj Sidharth (MediaTek)

• Shobhit Agarwal (KPMG in India)

• In India, there are approximately 850 million broadband subscribers however most of them are in urban areas and accessibility varies from state to state. Rajeev Saraf from Lepton Software stated his views that 76% of all mobile phones are smart but only 50% people are unique users, showing people have access but missing out on affordability

• Vishakha Saigal from Reliance Jio pointed out that their company has created the necessary infrastructure and incurred capital expenditure, however she expressed that safeguarding current investment via stable policy and ease of doing business is needed. Additionally, she expressed the need to acknowledge strain on television network by OTT providers and develop a framework to check contribution of OTT providers.

• Saurabh Arora from Qualcomm highlighted that they are the front runners of innovation and support innovation for masses. However, he emphasized on the point that 91% of smartphone shipments are very costly and Qualcomm has made efforts to reduce that. As more customers shift to 5G, cost of smartphones will reduce over time.

• Sachin Arora, from Giesecke & Devrient highlighted that the ROI is the biggest problem for companies to the network operators. Further, he mentioned that it is the question for use case not the affordability in the initial stages.

• Anuj Sidharth from the company said that Chipsets play a major role in bringing the connectivity and accessibility. Mediatek plays a major role in bringing the most powerful and accessible technology in the market.

Open RAN: 

• Does it Hold Answers to the evolving telecom landscape

• Does it Hold Answers to the evolving telecom landscape

• Mr. Saurabh Mittal (Bharti Airtel Ltd.)

• Mr. Rajesh Singh (Vi)

• Mr. Radhakant Das (TCS)

• Ms. Laurence Feijt (RedHat)

• Mr. Arno van Huyssteen (Canonical)

• Mr. Prakash Desai (Windriver)

• Dr Doudou Samb (Prose)

• Mr. Ian Langley (VIAVI Solutions)

• Mr. Dipayan Ghosh (KPMG in India)

• Mr. Vikas Dixit (Reliance Jio)

• Mr. Dan Rodriguez (Intel)

• Mr. Sanjay Bakaya (Mavenir)

• Mr. Manish Singh (Dell)

• Mr. Kristian Toivo (TIP)

• Mr. Hirdey Vikram (Netweb Technologies)

• Mr. Saurav Jha (Simnovous)

• Mr. Yogesh Sharma (KPMG in India)

• Mr. Ludvig Landgren (Ericsson)

• Mr. Saurabh Arora (Qualcomm)

• Ms. Vishakha Saigal (Reliance Jio)

• Dr. Rajeev Saraf (Lepton Software)

• Mr. Shobhit Agarwal (KPMG in India)

• Lt. Gen. Dr. S.P. Kochhar (COAI)

• Mr. Prateek Joshi (Bharti Airtel)

• Mr. Pratiyush Kumar (Ceragon)

• Mr. Sachin Arora (Giesecke & Devrient)

• Mr. Anuj Sidharth (MediaTek)

• Digital Transformation - Open RAN is viewed as a pivotal part of the digital infrastructure, and it's not a future trend; it's already a reality. Many companies are eager to embrace it, especially within the context of 5G, where energy-saving features are significant.

• Energy Efficiency - Energy efficiency is a central challenge in telecommunications, and Open RAN is seen as a solution that can significantly improve this aspect.

• Four Key Logics - Open RAN addresses this challenge through four key logics: taking care of software (SW), hardware (HW), KPI measurements, and circular economy principles.

• Scalability and Innovation - A common theme is the importance of scalability and innovation. Companies need to continually innovate, and Open RAN offers an open and flexible framework to achieve this.

• AI Integration - AI plays a vital role, not only in monitoring but also in making real-time adjustments and predictions to enhance sustainability and efficiency.

• Interoperability - Ensuring interoperability is essential, and the industry is putting infrastructure in place to meet these needs.

• Standardization is critical for scaling network infrastructure, and collaboration among organizations and countries is essential for Open RAN's success.

• Private 5G and Cloud Integration- There's a strong focus on the rapid adoption of private 5G networks. Building labs and alliances is seen as an important step. Cloud integration is pivotal, and private cloud deployment services are crucial for moving RAN components to the cloud.

• India's Unique Requirements- India is recognized for its unique requirements, spanning different terrains and climates, and Open RAN is considered a solution that can cater to these diverse demands.

• Skills and Education - Encouraging skill development and academic initiatives is vital, and the government is encouraged to support educational institutes and chip manufacturing.

• Further Vikas Dixit highlighted that Open RAN brings energy efficiency and paves the way for 6G, to which Hridey added by saying that this is the opportune time for Open RAN to thrive in India.

• Open RAN is seen as a transformative technology that brings efficiency and innovation to the telecom industry. It addresses key challenges such as energy efficiency, scalability, interoperability, and integration with emerging technologies like AI and private 5G networks. Collaboration, standardization, and education are vital for its continued success, and India is poised to benefit from this technology.

Beaming beyond Borders: The orbital voyage of connectivity

• Shri S Somanath (Department of Space, ISRO)

• Gunjan Dave (Department of Telecommunications)

• Shri V J Christopher (Department of Telecommunications)

• Lt Gen AK Bhatt (ISPA)

• Rahul Vatts (Bharti Airtel, OneWeb India)

• Luiz Felippe Zoghbi (GSMA)

• Mr Prafulla Kumar (Reliance Jio)

• Naveen Aggarwal (KPMG in India)

• The panel discussion delved into critical aspects of satellite communication on both national and global scales, giving prominence to the role of policy and regulations, as underscored by insights into liberalized telecom policies and cost reductions.

• The conversation also encompassed market opportunities, scalability, and cost optimization, especially with the promise of reduced costs as user numbers increase.

• Notable highlights included discussions on innovations, technology trends, and the transition to electrical propulsion systems, showcasing their potential in applications such as IoT and backhaul media. Moreover, the session explored industry-specific use cases, spanning oil, medicine, and crop management. Recognizing the challenges of latency, technical complexities, and regulatory constraints, sustainability was also a pivotal theme. In conclusion, it was evident that India's satellite era is just beginning, with vast potential for growth and development in this dynamic field.

Circuiting change: Pioneering Electronic Manufacturing for the Globe

• Mr. Sunil Dutt (Reliance Jio Infocomm)

• Mr. Sanjeev Chhabra (Beetel)

• Mr. Manoj Gurnani (Nokia)

• Dr. Ravi Bhatkal (McDermid Alpha)

• Mr. Rajiv Gunju (Luminous Power Technologies Private Limited)

• Shri Sunil Kumar Verma (Telecom)

• Mr. E. Srinivas (DPIIT)

• Mr. Gagan Bansal (TDK India Private Limited)

• Ms. Asha Nangia (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology)

• Mr. Avinash Ramachandran (KPMG in India)

• The session focused on how India has transformed into an attractive hub for investment and manufacturing of electronic goods. Major credit was given to the fact that the infrastructure of manufacturing units has grown massively and government policies such as PLI and PMA has assisted the companies to utilize the full potential of this growth.

• Mr. Manoj Gurnani gave credit to the GenZ (young) population that is motivated to improve the sector’s growth whereas Mr. Sunil Kumar Verma credited the policies that has made the 5g rollout in India one of the fastest in the world signifying how the emphasis on Digital India is constant and is helping the export sector massively.

• The session also discussed the potential that lies within the electronic manufacturing market and how with the help of advanced technology and a skilled work force, India can drastically reduce supply chain disruption and focus on expanding globally. Mr. Ravi Bhatkal stated that he’d like India to reach $1 Trillion in manufacturing of electronic goods in the next 10 years.

• Mr. Gagan Bansal stated that while the aim of the country to reach $300 bn is certainly possible, the market is even bigger, and our domestic producers have the capability of achieving that. Overall, this discussion shed a light on the growing electronics market that India provides and how by adapting the government policies, advanced technology and improved infrastructure, India can be a leading player in this sector.

Championing change: Tracing the Path of Innovation

• Sachin Katti (Intel)

• Varun Das (Bharti Airtel)

• Gilles Garcia (AMD India)

• Anilavo Datta (KPMG in India)

• Semiconductors will act as the underlying technology that will empower developers and customers to bridge the physical and digital worlds.

• 5G provides the opportunity to digitalize the education, innovate the digital infrastructure, robotics and digital lending in India"

• Power efficiency, scalability and adaptability are critical to address the challenges related to advancing from laptop to server to 5G RAMs manufacturing in India

• Leveraging 5G and IoT, autonomous industrial robots are enhancing productivity and efficiency on the factory floor for leading car manufacturers.

• Fintech's are leveraging alternate first party data to expand the reach of formal credit in India. Network and Edge are going to be transformed and there will be a shift from fixed function hardware to programmed general purpose hardware. Further, law of physics, law of economics and the law of the land dictate the need for edge-native software, hardware and AI platforms.

• AMD is investing 400 million to facilitate scaling 5G server manufacturing in India. There was also a discussion on how implementing an Uber-like model, focusing on a shared economy approach and user involvement, could increase broadband penetration in India while addressing challenges and potential benefits.

Building Cyber Resiliency in the New Digital Age

• Lt. Gen. M U Nair (GOI)

• Vishak Raman (Fortinet)

• Manohar Raja [RailTel (South)]

• Srinivas Bhattiprolu (Nokia)

• Saurabh Gupta (NATGRID)

• YS Satya Swarup (CDAC)

• Vivek Srivastava (Fortinet)

• Varun Singla (Airtel)

• Atul Gupta (KPMG India)

• Cyber security poses greater threats with the increased use of digital infrastructure. Any small breach in the ecosystem greatly impacts CNP. Since connectivity is the backbone of the modern economy there is serious need to watch out troublemakers and promote trusted sources. Envisaging sophisticated upscale of attacks and spreading security awareness will help ease out security complexities.

• Improved cyber resiliency will improve the capacity of individuals, organizations, and systems to prepare for, respond to, and recover from cyberattacks and disruptions while maintaining essential functions.

• Key elements of cyber resiliency to include proactive risk assessment, robust cybersecurity policies, and education & training. Organizations need well-defined incident response plans to swiftly address threats and recover from them

• Data security measures, such as encryption, network defenses, and patch management, are crucial to safeguard sensitive information and serios cyber-attacks. Collaboration between IT and other business units is essential for a holistic approach. Cyber insurance can mitigate financial risks, while threat intelligence and security audits help identify vulnerabilities. 
  The zero-trust model, which assumes threats can originate both internally and externally, is increasingly relevant.

• In the digital age, cyber resiliency is not a one-time effort; it's a continuous process that demands adaptability and vigilance to withstand the ever-changing landscape of cyber threats.

• Further, Manhor Raja stated that 3 areas where AI can be leveraged: are social media, capture, creating fake profiles or malware. 10 years ago, the first artificial network, i.e., ANN (Artificial Neutral Network) was introduced.

• ASPIRE

• Google India

• Azure Business (Manufacturing & Conglomerates), Microsoft Corporation (India) Pvt. Ltd

• Yashish Dahiya (PB Fintech)

• Apurva Chamaria (Google India)

• Chinmay D Gawankar (Microsoft Corporation (India) Pvt. Ltd)

• Policy Bazaar has built the trust of people through this year, and with this trust that is widely spread throughout the organization is reflected in PB's work.

• The speaker talked about the power of AI which has essentially changed the digital landscape about how humas interact with machines

• As mentioned during the session, leap of faith is important for iPhone or calculator moment.

• A brief history of AI was discussed which consisted of Artificial learning, Machine Learning, Deep learning and Generative AI.

• GenAI generates something nonexistent

• Confidence score of machine learning model was discussed which indicated how sure the NLP service/ machine learning model is that the respective intent was correctly assigned.

• Where statistics fails, GenAI starts

• A brief introduction was given bout the generative AI which basically created non-existent content based on the training of the ML model.

• We are moving from UI to AI

• Basically people want to interact with machines in a human like way so its important to bridge the gap between digital interaction between humans and machines.

• In today’s age we are moving from an UI base model to an AI base model.

• Microsoft launched ethical AI umbrella which constitutes of: - Privacy and security, inclusiveness, accountability, fairness, reliability and safety.