ITU Area office

• A new International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Area office & Innovation Centre in India was recently inaugurated by Prime Minister in New Delhi
• It will serve India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Afghanistan, and Iran enhancing coordination among nations and fostering mutually beneficial economic cooperation in the region.
• India signed a Host Country Agreement in 2022 with ITU for establishment of Area Office.

About International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• It was founded in Paris in 1865 as International Telegraph Union.
• It took its present name in 1932, and in 1947 became a specialized agency of United Nation.
• It is an intergovernmental organization that coordinates between governments and private sector bodies with respect to global telecommunication and information communication technology (ICT) services.
• Members- 193 member states
• Headquarters- Geneva, Switzerland.