Statement by India at the 66th Session of the Trade and Development Board of UNCTAD under Item 2(c)- Digital Development: Opportunities and delivered by Mr. Animesh Choudhury, First Secretary on 25th June 2019 in Geneva.Statement by India at the 66th Session of the Trade and Development Board of UNCTAD under Item 2(c)- Digital Development: Opportunities and Challenges by Mr. Animesh Choudhury, First Secretary on 25th June 2019 in Geneva.

Thank You Mr. President,
At the outset, India would like to thank the panellists for their presentations.
Mr. President,
2. India believes that the digital revolution presents immense opportunities for developing countries provided conditions are created in which all stakeholders are able to perform their functions adequately. The digital revolution can potentially cause major disruption if conscious efforts are not made to bridge the digital divide and bring in an element of equity in technology and benefit sharing. As the conditions exist today, these opportunities can be harnessed only by those countries who have adequately prepared themselves to bridge the digital and physical infrastructure gap, besides addressing regulatory challenges such as legal, policy, taxation and enforcement issues.
Mr. President,
3. The ever increasing pace of innovations as part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution impacts a whole range of activities such as manufacturing and services, healthcare,education, development, renewable energy amongst others. Although technology is neutral, its deployment and access to its benefits are not.
4. While emerging technologies can transform lives for the better, disparities in access to such technologies exacerbate the existing inequalities and create new fault-lines.
5. There are other associated concerns such as cyber security; possible cyber attacks on critical infrastructure; privacy of personal data; ethical issues; and obsolescence of certain jobs and industries, that also need to be addressed.
Mr. President,
6. While the speed and scale of digitisation is increasing rapidly, the agility,responsiveness and scope of cooperation and governance mechanisms need some serious catching up to do.
7. The ever-increasing pace of technological change and its convergence and uncharted potential impacts on human lives, economies and polity requires a serious discussion among us all and the various stakeholders on the possible need and scope of international cooperation and governance in certain areas.
Thank You.