Zuckerberg underlines India's importance at FICCI meet

NEW DELHI: Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg highlighted India's importance for the company as it is not only the second biggest market but also because one billion of the nearly four billion unconnected users live here.

During a meeting with Members of Parliament, policy makers, economists, industry representatives and public intellectuals, at a roundtable discussion hosted by FICCI, Zuckerberg ?said that ?while India has the third largest internet user of 300 million in the world, ?there were more than one billion unconnected.

Amongst the prominent issues discussed, challenges and opportunities of bringing the next billion online took the limelight.

Discussions also revolved around the role of technology, regulation and policy in accelerating access to the internet, role of social media and eGovernance. The Members of Parliament discussed specific issues and concerns relating to Net Neutrality and Zero Rating, as well as Internet.Org and Free Basics.

The policy makers ?said that government flagship programs like Digital India, Smart Cities and Startup India, Standup India focus on providing and improving the access to people and that it is very important that this access is available equitably to all.

Zuckerberg responded to most of the queries while expressing his deep commitment to India? and to the issue of affordable access for the next billion citizens, nearly 250 million of which will come from India, FICCI said in a statement.