Internet connectivity is a human right: Mark Zuckerberg

Delivering a keymote in the two-day-long Internet.org summit, which aims to make Internet access affordable for all, Zuckerberg said, “When people are connected, accomplishments are easy... Connected people have better access to technology, education and jobs. If you think about the cost about the cost of a mobile phone with an internet connection, a vast majority of that cost is not the phone itself but the internet access. We want to build an internet that works for all. Internet.org is an effort to bring basic internet services to all.”

Terming India has the ability to take giant leaps in the field of science, Zuckerbarg said: "Technology has to serve the whole society, connectivity cannot be a privilege of the rich and the powerful. When the benefits of technology are shared across the whole society, that's when we can make the big leap. Because India has embraced science, the next generation has the opportunity to bring the world to India and India to the world. India has shown ability to make great leaps. India is an amazing country with unlimited potential. The whole world is being robbed of creativity and ideas because so many people in India are not online yet."

Pitching for free internet connectivity for all in the country, Facebook co-founder said: "Free basic internet access should be like dialing 911 in US or 100 here in India."

Advocating for Facebook, Zuckerberg said: "Since 2007, Facebook has been working on new apps and services in local languages. 65% people use Facebook in a language other than English including 10 Indian languages. Over $1 billion fund earmarked to encourage people to develop apps in local languages."

He reminded that Facebook has high impact apps that help farmers, students & women.

According to him, "Today more than 85% of the people live within the range of an existing network - for these people the problem of connectivity is economic. But the biggest set of barriers is social. Facebook is working extensively in rural India to enhance connectivity."

Zuckerberg said that he will be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday.

"Meeting PM Modi tomorrow," he quipped adding that PM is committed to connecting villages online; In this regard, he said, “excited to see how Facebook can help."

Zuckerberg's visit to the country comes after the Facebook Chief Operating Officer (COO) Sheryl Sandberg's trip in July.

During her visit Sandberg met Union IT and communications minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and said: "Facebook has a very powerful presence in India, next only to US. There is enormous scope for expansion of Facebook, which is already a very popular platform in India. There is a need to work together in the field of education, in the field of health and other creative exposures."

Zuckerberg is also the third high profile CEO of a US-based firm, after Microsoft Corp's Satya Nadella and Amazon Inc's Jeff Bezos, to visit India in the last couple of weeks.

As a matter of fact, India is the second biggest market for Facebook after USA.