The last 10 years have witnessed a significant transformation in India. The Indian economy has become the fifth largest in the world and is currently the fastest-growing large economy globally. Over this decade, the government’s Budget has tripled from RS 16 lakh crore to RS 48 lakh crore. Among many milestones, one stands out for symbolising India’s qualitative transformation—the leadership of the Narendra Modi government.
For decades, Indian governance was characterised by dysfunctionality and corruption. This was famously described by Rajiv Gandhi in the late 1980s when he noted that out of every RS 100 allocated, only RS 15 reached its intended recipient. This leakage, corruption, and inefficiency defined India’s governance for six and a half decades after Independence until Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office, bringing with him a vision of ‘Maximum Governance’.
We are living in an era of remarkable technological transformation. This shift is no longer about potential—it is now a reality that is reshaping economies and improving lives. In India, we have seen firsthand how technology can empower countries that were once marginalised, enabling them to leap into a new era of opportunities.
From the outset, PM Modi embraced technology as the catalyst for achieving his goal of Maximum Governance. He envisioned technology applications built on the foundation of Aadhaar, India’s digital ID, to enable direct connections between the government and citizens’ bank accounts. This vision has evolved into IndiaDPI (India’s Digital Public Infrastructure), a stack of applications at the heart of India’s digital government architecture.
IndiaDPI and the Digital Government initiative have revolutionised governance in India, shifting the narrative from dysfunctionality to one of efficiency and transparency. Since adopting this technology in 2014, India has delivered over $350 billion in subsidies and benefits directly to its citizens, saving the government approximately $27 billion by reducing leakages. During the pandemic, IndiaDPI played a crucial role in tracking the virus, delivering vaccines, and ensuring food distribution, demonstrating that large, diverse democracies can provide effective governance.
IndiaDPI exemplifies how technology can enhance governance, empower citizens, and drive innovation. India now serves as a model for democracies worldwide, offering its open-source platform to Global South countries to bridge the tech gap and combat digital exclusion.
Rolling out the IndiaDPI stack to 1.2 billion people in a vast country like India was not without its challenges. The first hurdle was connecting the population to the internet. In 2014, only around 150 million Indians had internet access; today, that number has grown to 900 million, with the goal of reaching 1.2 billion by 2026. This rapid expansion of connectivity was crucial in enabling all citizens to participate in the digital economy.
Another major challenge was overcoming resistance to change. Disruptive initiatives like this often face pushback, especially over concerns related to data protection and privacy. However, India addressed these concerns robustly by enacting a data protection law that safeguards individuals’ privacy.
Digital literacy was also a focus area. Given India’s diversity and large population, educating citizens on how to interact with the government digitally was essential. A comprehensive programme reached over 400 million people, including a significant number in rural areas and among women. This effort has empowered millions to navigate the digital landscape and connect with the government more efficiently.
The benefits of this digital transformation extend beyond governance. The democratisation of technology has led to real empowerment and wealth creation. For example, over the past decade, 55 million homes have been built for poor families in India, with 80% of these homes owned by women. This achievement is a direct result of transparent service delivery enabled by technology. As a result of Digital Government and IndiaDPI being central to India’s governance paradigm, we have also created one of the world’s fastest-growing digital and innovation economies—growing nearly three times faster than the rest of the economy.
It is important here to say that the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in this transformation is significant. AI is often discussed as a buzzword or the next big thing, but it’s more accurately described as a kinetic enabler of the next wave of our digital economy. For both government and businesses, AI adoption is crucial as it drives efficiency and redefines success across every legacy application and technology segment. IndiaDPI + AI will sharpen governance, make it more targeted, and help realise the vision of smart governance.
IndiaDPI has redrawn the technology landscape in another important way: it reflects a broader global trend where the once-exclusive control of technology by a few countries is being challenged by the rise of open-source platforms. India is leading this approach in AI as well. As the current Chair of the Global Partnership on AI (GPAI), India has spearheaded efforts to ensure that democracies play a leading role in shaping the future of technology. This shift presents an opportunity for democracies worldwide to collaborate and lead in shaping the future of technology.
The last 10 years in India have been transformative and have positioned the country for another decade of economic expansion and opportunities. Technology, innovation, and AI will play starring roles as India strides towards becoming one of the top three economies in the world. This goal is well within reach. Let’s work together to make it a reality.
The author is former Minister of State, Ministry of Electronics and IT. Views are personal