India has been at forefront, especially in the wake of the G20 India Presidency, where countries unanimously agreed to a common definition of Digital Public Infrastructure. India’s becoming the voice of the global south has brought a call for action to represent India’s capabilities and further international cooperation, leveraging DPI.
To further India’s DPI solutions and continue conversations, Primus Partners, in association with iSPIRT, held a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Roundtable, that brought together key stakeholders such as senior bureaucrats, diplomats, policymakers, industry leaders and thought leaders.
The Roundtable explored how India’s DPI becoming a global conversation of inclusive and scalable infrastructure and how it can serve as a blueprint for other nations to harness technology for improving citizens lives. The Event sought to explore India’s leadership in advancing DPI and its role in driving socio-economic transformation.
The Keynote Address was delivered by Shri Amitabh Kant, G20 Sherpa. Mr. Kant highlighted that, “India has made a remarkable leap to become the voice of the Global South in Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and achieving in 9 years what would have taken 50 years. This sentiment was echoed during India’s G20 Presidency, where countries reached a common consensus that DPIs are essential for equitable development and to improve the lives of citizens, especially in the global south.”
The first session on Achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through DPI: Addressing the Global South’s Needs brought attention to the potential of DPI to accelerate sustainable development across the Global South. H.E. Dr. Anil Sooklal, High Commissioner of South Africa to India, discussed Indias seminal role in using DPI to drive progress towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and that India must take the lead in the global DPI progress.
Mr Vinay Vijay Singh, CFO and Chief AI Officer, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development highlighted how the United States has been leveraging technology for effective flood control and disaster management through early warning systems. The panellists also highlighted that partnerships with India will be crucial to ensure that the Global South can move towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in areas such as healthcare, infrastructure and financial inclusion.
The next session on the Impact of India Stack on Businesses, included Mr. Lav Agarwal, Resident Commissioner, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh and key industry leaders like Mr. Sandeep Aggarwal, CEO and Co-founder – Droom, and representatives from World Bank, UNDP, BMGF and Wadhwani Foundation. The panellists shared insights on how India Stack has revolutionized businesses by promoting financial inclusion and enhancing operational efficiencies and leveraging Aadhaar-enabled services to facilitate easier access to credit for small businesses.
Mr. Devroop Dhar, Co-founder and Managing Director, Primus Partners during the session shared that, “Digital Public Infrastructures (DPIs) are a powerful mechanism that have the power to bring inclusion at a rapid scale. Governments and businesses are proactively adopting DPIs to improve public service delivery, creating a more resilient and equitable environment.”
The final session on Laying the Foundation for Standards and Protocols to Globalize India Stack, saw discussions on possibilities of furthering DPI on a global stage and the need to facilitate cross-border transactions and collaboration by exploring issues such as privacy, interoperability and security. The panel included key stakeholders such as Mr. Amit Agrawal, CEO of UIDAI, Mr Rohit Rathish, Joint Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, Ms Shweta Khurana – Senior Director APJ, Intel, Mr Rajesh Ranjan, Head of Government Affairs, Google and Mr Ranjeet Goswami – Global Head of Corporate Affairs at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).
Mr. Amit Agrawal, CEO, UIDAI shared that, “The strength of India’s DPI is not just about the technology but also about the enabling services that touches the lives of millions and brings improvements even to the last mile.”
The event concluded with a vote of thanks from Mr. Sharad Sharma, Co-founder of iSPIRT. He shared with the panel that, “India Stack ushered in Digital Public Infrastructure in India and it is changing the way State and Central governments are operating. But it is also travelling to other parts of the world, especially in the Global South.”
As more countries are trying to further their digital agenda, India’s DPI will play a crucial role in shaping the world of governance and to ensure an ecosystem that is open, safe, trusted and interoperable.