Statement by India under Agenda Item 3 Panel Discussion on ‘HIV Response and leaving no one behind’, at the 58th regular session of the Human Rights Council (24 February – 4 April 2025) delivered by Ms. Anupama Singh, First Secretary, PMI Geneva

Geneva, 06 March 2025

Mr. President

The discussion today is very pertinent as we seek to identify equitable, affordable, and accessible solutions to eliminate AIDS, to ensure that no one is left behind. 

2. India has made great strides in combating HIV/AIDS through innovative programs and robust partnerships, in accordance with rights-based approach. Our schematic and legislative interventions are focused on mass-awareness, education, and community mobilization of high-risk populations. NGOs and civil society organizations including Faith-based organisations have made significant contribution in delivering HIV prevention and care services to the highly vulnerable population groups.

3. According to the latest data, India’s annual new HIV infection is estimated at 66,400, a 44% reduction since 2010, outperforming the global reduction rate of 39%. The scale of our AIDS intervention could be gauged from the fact that more than 30 million free HIV tests are being conducted annually. More than 1.7 million people are receiving free Anti-retroviral Therapy (ART) through public healthcare systems.

4. We are also proud to contribute to the global fight against HIV/AIDS by supplying over 70% of global ART medicines, ensuring quality and affordable access for those in need. 

Mr. President

5. India’s efforts exemplify the power of collaborative action, innovative strategies, and an unwavering commitment to health equity. By addressing the structural challenges and scaling up successful interventions, India is poised to lead the global fight against HIV/AIDS, ensuring a healthier, stigma-free future for all. 

Thank you.

Statement by India under Agenda Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights (SR’s report on Digitalization of cultural heritage: preserving cultural rights) during the 58th Regular Session of the Human Rights Council (24 Feb – 4 Apr 2025), delivered by Mr. Kshitij Tyagi, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of India, Geneva, 6 March 2025

Mr. President,

1. We thank the Special Rapporteur for her report. Digital technologies offer transformative opportunities for preserving and promoting cultural heritage while ensuring inclusive access.

2. As a civilization with an unbroken cultural legacy spanning millennia, India has undertaken significant efforts to harness digitalization for heritage preservation. The National Mission on Cultural Mapping, the Digital India Initiative, and the Indian Heritage in Digital Space project are making cultural treasures accessible to all through a participative and inclusive approach. Our digital archives, such as the National Digital Library, safeguard diverse heritage, including manuscripts, oral traditions, and intangible cultural heritage. The Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) has been India’s attempt at digitalizing Indian traditional knowledge, which can be referenced in multiple languages, to avoid granting erroneous patents worldwide.

3. We reaffirm the importance of open, equitable, and ethical digitalization, and urge continued international cooperation to bridge the digital divide, prevent cultural misappropriation and biopiracy, and safeguard heritage in times of crisis.

4. We would like to ask the SR how digitalisation of cultural heritage could assist in instituting some form of IPR in Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions, a long-standing demand of the countries of the global south.

Thank you.