New Delhi, Sep 7 : Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya M. Scindia will attend the 28th Universal Postal Congress (UPC) in Dubai on Monday (September 8), according to an official statement issued on Sunday.

The Universal Postal Congress, convened every four years, is the highest decision-making body of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), a specialised United Nations agency and the world's second-oldest intergovernmental organisation, established in 1874. Headquartered in Bern, Switzerland, the UPU sets the framework for international mail exchanges and drives cooperation in postal, parcel and financial services across 192 member nations.

The Dubai Congress is a landmark gathering where member states will deliberate on the UPU's new Strategy and Business Plan (2026-2029), focusing on digital transformation, resilience and modernisation of postal services in a rapidly evolving global economy. As one of its longest-standing and most active members, the Department of Posts actively participates in the UPU's efforts to standardise international postal regulations, promote cooperation, and modernise global postal services.

During his visit, Scindia will also hold a series of bilateral meetings with member countries to strengthen international cooperation and advance India's postal and logistics interests on the global stage, the statement said.

Meanwhile, India's postal system has now become the world's largest doorstep banking network, and the humble postman plays the role of the harbinger of financial inclusion.

This week, Scindia highlighted that India Post Office and India Post Payment Bank (IPPB) Online have redefined one of the world's oldest postal networks into the globe's largest doorstep banking system.

The minister stated that the Department of Posts, with its network of 160,000 post offices, is writing its growth story. IPPB has quietly become a national pioneer by ensuring the digitalisation of all its rural accounts. By integrating technology, expanding partnerships and diversifying services, the IPPB has transformed post offices into comprehensive financial hubs, proving that even the oldest institutions can evolve step with a rapidly changing world.

Eight years ago, the IPPB was established with a commitment to ensure that no Indian, irrespective of geography, gender, or circumstance, is excluded from the formal economy. By integrating rural India into the digital economy, it has now become an engine of national economic empowerment, he added.

/IANS