New Delhi, Feb 20 (NationPress) To foster collaboration in telecommunications, digital infrastructure, and emerging technologies, a bilateral meeting took place between Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and his Brazilian counterpart, Frederico de Siqueira Filho, as announced on Friday.

Scindia informed the Brazilian delegation about the extensive initiatives undertaken by the Indian government over the past 11 years aimed at expanding digital infrastructure, enhancing affordability, and boosting inclusive connectivity.

He showcased India's success in offering some of the lowest data tariffs worldwide and affirmed the government's dedication to providing a “broad range of services” for citizens, enabling well-informed choices across various technologies.

“The talks reinforced the deepening strategic partnership between India and Brazil, highlighting digital connectivity as a key pillar for inclusive growth, socio-economic advancement, and technological independence,” noted an official statement.

As important allies within the BRICS framework, both nations stressed the significance of developing resilient, trustworthy, and future-ready digital ecosystems.

The Brazilian minister expressed enthusiasm for strengthening structured cooperation in telecommunications and shared Brazil’s initiatives focused on digital inclusion, including a significant program with an investment of around $500 million aimed at laying approximately 40,000 km of optical fiber cable in the Amazon region.

He also emphasized Brazil’s success in promoting digital payments through the PIX platform and highlighted the country’s active participation in satellite and submarine connectivity projects.

Scindia outlined the progress of the BharatNet project, designed to connect Gram Panchayats across India, supported by substantial public investment.

He elaborated on the India Stack initiatives such as Aadhaar and UPI, noting the significant rise in mobile-based digital transactions due to a strong digital framework.

Furthermore, Scindia stressed India's focus on 5G innovation and its applications, including the establishment of 100 laboratories across the nation to foster industry-academia collaboration and application-driven deployment.

The Brazilian representatives expressed interest in learning about the operational framework of India’s Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), to which Minister Scindia detailed its funding mechanism, including the 5 percent Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) contribution model supporting rural and remote connectivity projects.