India is all set to host it’s own Mobile Congress in month of September this year. The annual Mobile World Congress 2017 (MWC 2017) has just concluded last week in Barcelona. Aside from the annual chapter of MWC, China also hosts it’s own MWC edition each year in Shanghai. Now India will organise its first mobile congress in September with a special focus on reaching out to the South East Asian markets. India is the world’s second largest smartphone market.
The GSM Association, which organises annual global event of Mobile World Congress (MWC) here, has agreed to associate with the three-day event that will be held at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi starting September 27. All Indian mobile operators, Facebook, Huawei, Ericsson, Cisco etc are likely to participate in the Indian Mobile Congress (IMC).
Commenting on this, COAI Director General Rajan S Mathews told PTI,
There is Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and an edition in Shanghai. There is nothing in between for South East Asia. India is emerging as one of the global leaders in telecom which we will also showcase in the Indian Mobile Congress. We have asked other Indian business association to come together and be part of it. The event will focus on knowledge sharing, exhibition, start ups, skill development and all pillars of Digital India including Make in India.
Adding to this he said that, “We have held meeting with official representatives of other governments as well.” The Department of Telecom and the Ministry of Electronics and IT have laid their emphasis on Indian Mobile Congress and Cellular Operators Association of India will drive it. Mathews said he along with Indian government delegation had held discussion with British and Swedish Trade Ministers for their engagement in IMC.
Update: GSMA has denied any claim of collaboration with COAI for the India World Congress scheduled for September 2016. According to the official statement by GSMA, “Contrary to media reports, the GSMA is not collaborating with COAI in the development of the India Mobile Congress scheduled to take place in September.”
