Decoding digital public infrastructure for India's future

As the country marks 10 years of Digital India, its future approach to DPI will be determined by critical privacy laws. India differs from the routes to digitalisation adopted by other big economies. India's DPI is neither led by state nor by tech sector but by a collaboration between the two.

- SRINIVASAN R, PRANJAL SHARMA, ANIRBAN SARMA

Speaking at the AI Action Summit in Paris in February 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared, "India has successfully built a digital public infrastructure (DPI) for over 1.4 billion people at a very low cost. It is built around an open and accessible network. It has regulations, and a wide range of applications to modernise our economy, reform governance and transform the lives of our people."

Indeed, DPIs and related digital goods and services have proven their potential for driving digital inclusion, boosting service delivery and innovation, and ensuring digital human rights without compromising on trust and security. Encouraged by the scale of success, several other states in the Global South have begun to build their DPIs with India's support.

The enthusiasm around DPIs goes well beyond the South. The European Union is working with India to make their respective DPIs more interoperable, and the two have "pledged to promote DPI solutions to third countries." Similarly, the United States has made a commitment with India to enter into a Global Digital Development Partnership to pool technology and resources and help build DPIs in developing nations. The G20 too, has been promoting the uptake and benefits of DPI since the Indian presidency of 2023, through the Brazilian presidency of 2024, and the ongoing presidency of South Africa.

WHAT ARE DPIS?

DPIs refer to "a set of shared digital systems which are secure and interoperable, built on open standards, and specifications to deliver and provide equitable access to public and private services at societal scale, and are governed by enabling rules to drive development, inclusion, innovation, trust, and competition, and to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms."