Date: Apr 17, 2017
India’s digital ecosystem is at a critical juncture. The telecom industry, which provides the physical backbone on which data rides, is currently consolidating after a decade and a half of intense competition. Data revenues per user in India remain among the lowest in the world, and at the same time, data consumption is growing at an unprecedented pace. In December 2016, there were nearly 236 million broadband subscribers in India, with mobile subscriptions accounting for over 90 percent of the total subscriber base. India is a largely a 'mobile-first' data market, with millions of consumers joining every month to consume creative media and entertainment content, harness the efficiencies of e-commerce and communications services, and transact digitally. The panel will discuss and debate how this unique market, which shares similarities with both advanced and developing jurisdictions, will evolve over the next decade; and which business imperatives, consumer behaviour, and regulatory developments will play a prominent role in defining its uncharted future. Some of the driving questions that the panellists will address include:
  • Will India's growing demand for data trigger the further development of telecom infrastructure? What are the necessary/enabling conditions for this?
  • How can regulations for the digital economy best reflect consumer needs?
  • What relevant global best practices and experiences can inform the development of India's dynamic data-hungry economy?
  • Will global headwinds of protectionism change India's approach to regulating the digital economy?

Speakers

Arun Mohan Sukumar, Head, Cyber Initiative, ORF Chris Libertelli, Head, Global Public Policy, Netflix Peter Lovelock, Director, TRPC, Singapore Rajat Kathuria, Director and Chief Executive, Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) Swati Rangachari, Chief of Corporate Affairs and Marketing, Sterlite Technologies, India Read the programme here. The timing of the event is from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Venue Address

The Claridges, New Delhi