WTO: India pushes for building broadband infra, digital skills in LDCs, developing countries

NEW DELHI: India has made a case for capacity building of developing and least-developed countries in areas like digital skills and broadband infrastructure, under the World Trade Organisation (WTO), rather than negotiating binding rules on e-commerce as coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the shift to a digital economy. In a special virtual meeting of the WTO’s General Council on COVID-19 trade-related measures last week, India stated that there is a digital divide between developed and developing countries.

Almost half of the world’s population does not have access to high speed broadband and is deprived of the access to virtual platforms, tele-medicine, distance education and e-payments, it said.