DIGITAL PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Governance)

Context: The success and increasing global acknowledgement of the Indian government’s digital public infrastructure (DPI), otherwise known as the India Stack, is prompting New Delhi to offer to share its knowledge and resources with others, especially the Global South.

Digital public infrastructure (DPI)

• About: It is a set of technology building blocks that drive innovation, inclusion, and competition at scale, operating under open, transparent and participatory governance.
• Examples: Internet, powered by common protocols like HTTP, HTML, and SMTP.
• Key Features: It can be developed either as all government or all private.

o Interoperability, security, maintaining registries and continuous updates are its vital aspects.

Initiatives taken by India in digital sphere

• Aadhaar: Launched in 2009, Aadhaar is a 12 digit unique-identity number issued to all Indian residents based on the biometric and demographic data, and acts as a proof of residence.
• Digital India initiative: In 2015, the ‘Digital India’ initiative was launched to improve online infrastructure and increase internet accessibility among citizens.
• PM-WANI: It was launched in 2020 to provide ubiquitous and affordable internet connectivity.
• India Stack: It is an online global public digital goods depository to ensure no one is left behind.