India’s DPI, cyber security and skilling gain wide acceptance at Digital Economy Ministerial Meeting

In the various rounds of the Digital Economy Ministerial meetings (DEMM) organised by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) as part of India’s G20 presidency, awareness has been enhanced on three primary agendas—digital public infrastructure (DPI), cyber security in the digital economy, and digital skills.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State of MeitY, said while addressing the media, “Specially for DPI, it is safe to say that for the first time there was a global consensus and what ought to be the definition, the framework and the principles of DPI. From the Indian context, our Prime Minister launched this intensive digitalisation process way back in 2015 with the launch of Digital India. And since then, India has seen several DPIs that have been created.”

The minister added that DPI conversations today that are being held across the world and these have gained momentum in the context of India’s presidency of the G20.

He also stated that India is now a case study of a nation that has employed and deployed technology to progress and grow. It is increasingly being seen by countries that lagged behind, as a way to follow lead. “One of the aspects that has been discussed is mobilising finance for APIs and helping countries that have lagged behind in the digitisation process to also get a leg up and move ahead. India, in particular, has already signed a MoU where the India Stack will be made available free of cost, open source for countries to implement it in their own countries and to create their own ecosystems of innovation,” Chandrasekhar added.

Speaking on cyber security in the digital economy, he added that the G20 Digital Economy ministers have had wide-ranging discussions on why it is important for businesses to be protected, why cybersecurity is an essential issue for all the countries of the world, especially the G20.

And on digital skilling as skills for this new post-COVID increasingly digital world, “India's talent, our focus on creating digital skills for our youth is again something that has resonated during these discussions,” added Minster Chandrasekhar. He believes countries are interested in partnering amongst themselves and with India, on creating a digitally ready future-ready, skilled talent to deal with the challenges and opportunities of the coming decade.