NEW DELHI: For the first time after India banned 59 Chinese apps over security issues last month, Union Minister of Communications and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad will share a platform with China's digital minister Miao Wei at the G20 Digital Ministers virtual meeting on Wednesday.
Prasad is expected to deliver his address at 5:30 pm.
The Digital Economy Ministers meeting will take place as part of the Sherpa Track for the G20 Leaders Summit 2020, which is to be hosted by Saudi Arabia at the end of 2020.
Consultations for the annual G20 meeting are conducted through three tracks -- government discussions take place under the Finance and Sherpa Tracks and civil society organisations participate through engagement groups.
This meeting holds significance at a time when many of the developed countries across the globe are appreciating India's move to ban Chinese apps.
On June 29, the central government had banned 59 Chinese apps, including Tik Tok and UC Browser, saying that they are "prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity and defence" of the country. The decision comes amid border tensions with China in Eastern Ladakh.
The Saudi Arabian Presidency has selected the theme, "Realizing Opportunities of the 21st Century For All".
The three key agenda items to be addressed under this theme are: "Empowering People, by creating the conditions, in which all people - especially women and youth - can live, work and thrive"; "Safeguarding the Planet, by fostering collective efforts to protect our global commons"; and "Shaping New Frontiers, by adopting long-term and bold strategies to share benefits of innovation and technological advancement."