The India-ASEAN Digital work plan 2022 for future collaboration in the field was finalized at the second ASEAN Digital Ministers (ADGMIN) meeting with India was held virtually on Friday.

India's Minister of State for Communications Devusinh Chauhan and Admiral Tin Aung San, Ministry of Transport and Communications, Myanmar co-chaired the meeting, the Ministry of Communications informed on Saturday.

The workplan includes:

* A system for combating stolen and counterfeit mobile handsets

* WiFi Access network interface for nationwide public internet

* Capacity building and knowledge sharing in emerging areas such as Internet of Things IoT 5 G

* Advanced Satellite Communication, and Cyber Forensics

ADGMIN is an annual meeting of Telecom Ministers from 10 ASEAN and dialogue partner countries - Australia, Canada, China, EU, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Russia, UK and US.

The Ministry of Communications informed that the meeting discussed and deliberated on various matters related to strengthening regional digital cooperation in the spirit of digital inclusion and integration.

In the virtual meeting with other Digital Ministers, Chauhan emphasised that Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) enable and strengthen democratic systems and institutions through enhanced engagement between citizens and the state.

He said that the use of ICTs promotes free speech, human rights and the free flow of information besides broadening citizens' opportunities to participate in the decision-making process and has the potential to transform the lives of people living in rural areas.

The Minister recalled the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to leverage different technological solutions for the development of the nation.

In his address, Chauhan stated that Covid-19 is not only a challenge for the public health system, but it also affects the economic and social orders of the countries. ICTs have emerged as powerful tools to mitigate the effects of the pandemic in different areas of public life and are foundations of the global economy, he added.

The ongoing and proposed projects in ICTs, will strengthen collaboration between India and ASEAN by leveraging complementary strengths of each other, said the Ministry.