Public sector in India is looking at the next wave of digitization and digital transformation

Shipra Sinha, Lead Analyst – Industry Intelligence Group (IIG), CyberMedia Research (CMR), engaged in a conversation with Rishi Mehta, President and CEO of WAISL, and Pankaj Gupta, Leader – Public Sector, AWS India and South Asia, to explore how digital transformation is reshaping India’s public sector and aviation industries.

- Shipra Sinha

How is digital transformation reshaping the public sector in India? What trends are emerging?

Pankaj Gupta: India is undergoing an unprecedented digital transformation at the population scale. Platforms like Aadhaar, UPI, DigiLocker, and Co-WIN exemplify this shift. For instance, Co-WIN facilitated over 1.2 billion vaccinations, and DigiLocker now serves over 500 million citizens, offering secure access to digital documents. AWS has helped modernise these platforms, addressing scalability and unlocking use cases like health lockers and universal immunisation.

Beyond healthcare, we're also supporting innovations in agriculture, education, and aviation— such as the digital twin-based Airport Operations Command Centre (APOC) with WAISL.

What progress do you see in aviation’s digital transformation, especially in India?

Rishi Mehta: Aviation shares core business drivers with other sectors—enhancing revenue, passenger experience, and operational efficiency. WAISL is helping airports optimise all three using digital transformation. Digi Yatra, adopted by nearly 20% of domestic travellers, allows for seamless curb-togate journeys, improving experience and capacity. We've also deployed APOC, using digital twins and predictive analytics to streamline operations for all stakeholders—ground staff, security, and passengers. India isn’t following traditional steps; it’s leapfrogging into first-of-its-kind solutions across Asia.

How do you balance the cost of cutting-edge technology in aviation?

Rishi: Our model is capex-heavy at the start—WAISL funds and deploys technologies like 5G Wi-Fi, Digi Yatra, cloud systems, and APOC. Airports pay through managed services over time, reducing upfront costs.