Prime Minister Modi Highlights India’s Digital Transformation at G20 Meet in Bengaluru
India’s Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, addressed the G20 Digital Economy Ministers’ Meet via video message, highlighting India’s remarkable digital transformation. He credited the Digital India initiative launched in 2015 for the unprecedented progress made over the past nine years. The Prime Minister emphasized India’s belief in innovation, commitment to speedy implementation, and the spirit of inclusion that ensures no one is left behind.
The scale, speed, and scope of India’s digital transformation were brought to the forefront. The country boasts an impressive 850 million internet users who benefit from affordable data costs. The Prime Minister cited several examples of how technology has revolutionized governance and service delivery in India. This includes the Aadhaar platform, which provides a unique digital identity to over 1.3 billion people. The Jan Dhan bank accounts, Aadhaar, and Mobile (JAM) trinity have revolutionized financial inclusion, and the UPI payment system facilitates nearly 10 billion transactions per month.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the success of India’s Direct Benefits Transfer system, which has plugged leakages and saved over 33 billion dollars. He mentioned the CoWIN portal, which played a crucial role in the delivery of over 2 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses and issuing digitally verifiable certificates. The Gati-Shakti platform, utilizing technology and spatial planning, has improved infrastructure and logistics planning, reducing costs and increasing delivery speed. The Government e-Marketplace ensures transparency and probity in public procurement, while the Open Network for Digital Commerce democratizes e-commerce in the country.
India’s Prime Minister stressed that the country’s digital initiatives offer scalable, secure, and inclusive solutions to global challenges. With its diverse population, India serves as an ideal testing lab for solutions that can be easily applied worldwide. The Prime Minister expressed India’s readiness to share its experiences, highlighting the offer of the CoWIN platform for global use during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also mentioned the India Stack, an online Global Public Digital Goods Repository, designed to ensure inclusivity and accessibility, especially for those in the Global South.
The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction with the progress made by the G20 working group in creating a transparent, accountable, and fair digital ecosystem through a Common Framework for Digital Public Infrastructure. He welcomed efforts to develop a roadmap for cross-country comparison of digital skills and establish a Virtual Center of Excellence on Digital Skilling. Security threats and challenges in the digital economy were addressed, with the Prime Minister emphasizing the importance of building consensus on the G20 High-Level Principles for a secure, trusted, and resilient digital economy.
Prime Minister Modi emphasized the potential of technology to connect people and achieve inclusive and sustainable development. He urged G20 nations to lay the foundations for an inclusive, prosperous, and secure global digital future. The Prime Minister suggested promoting digital technology in agriculture and small businesses, establishing a global digital health ecosystem, and developing a framework for the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence. He concluded by expressing confidence in the working group’s ability to drive progress with conviction, commitment, coordination, and collaboration.
In summary, Prime Minister Modi’s address at the G20 Digital Economy Ministers’ Meet showcased India’s digital transformation and its commitment to inclusive and sustainable development. The Prime Minister highlighted the country’s achievements in digital governance, financial inclusion, healthcare, and infrastructure. India’s experiences and solutions hold great potential for the global community, and the Prime Minister expressed India’s willingness to share its knowledge and collaborate with other nations.
