The rise of digital public infrastructure boosts India towards an $8T GDP by 2030

India’s advances in digital modernization have taken an enormous rise with the advent of digital public infrastructure (DPI), known as India Stack, composed to overhaul the country’s landscape. The foundation of India’s DPI in 2009 in the form of the India Stack marked a key moment in India’s mission for digital inclusion. At its basis, India’s (DPI) incorporates three fundamental layers; Aadhaar, the digital identity program, the unified payment interface (UPI), and the Data Empowerment Protection Architecture (DEPA), which collectively serve as the pillar for a wide range of digital services in all sectors. The bridge provided by DPI fills sectoral applications such as social security to be directly connected with the real-world infrastructure. With about 400 million Indians lacking a unique identity record in 2009, mass biometric data collection for digital identity verification was carried out to establish Aadhaar. The national ID addressed this gap, covering approximately 95 percent of the population by 2022. Over the years, India’s DPI framework has grown to assimilate real-time payment systems like UPI and protected data-sharing platforms, laying the groundwork for a digitally empowered society.

According to recent research conducted by the National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom) and Arthur D Little International, DPI has the power to boost India towards an $8 trillion economy by 2030. The active placement of mature and budding DPIs could importantly contribute to India’s goal of becoming a $1 trillion digital economy, with the economic value added by DPI anticipated to increase between 2.9 percent and 4.2 percent of GDP by 2030, up from 0.9 percent in 2022. India’s progress with DPI demonstrates the transformative potential of technology in dynamic inclusive growth and economic success, standing the country in a global position in the digital revolution. The report further examines India’s DPI, identifying its capacity while accepting determined challenges. Despite its evolving impact, obstacles like connectivity gaps, limited data availability, and constrained outreach beyond government services remain. To realize DPI’s benefits, proactive government participation and collaboration among stakeholders are essential.

The research study by Smriti Parsheera (2024) probes into India’s digital transformation drive, focusing on the DPI. It observes how these infrastructures shape India’s pathway to development, emphasizing inclusion, effectiveness, empowerment, and innovation. The study highlights challenges such as coercive adoption strategies and inadequate accountability safeguards, shedding light on India’s development in translating its digital vision outcomes.

The India Stack story

DPIs act as a link between individuals, money, and biometric data. Initially one moves through a digital identity system as an individual. Second is the flow of money through an instant, quick payment system. Lastly, it is the permission data sharing platform transferring private information to meaningfully explore the benefits of DPIs and give people control over their data. India Stack captures the soul of the digital revolution in its three basic layers: digital identity, documents, and payments supported by biometric pieces of information. This digital platform serves the public and all other stockholders of India, demonstrating the synthesis of technology with public service. India’s identity layer Aadhaar’s main building blocks offer reliable and secure digital identification, which facilitates biometric verification and authentication process easily. India Stack serves as the basis for numerous applications promoting efficiency as well as inclusion. The National Payments Corporation of India’s (NPCI’s) robust payment systems together with the Digilocker document storage facility enhances it.

NEC biometrics  in India

Japan-based NEC has made a substantial contribution to India’s adoption of biometric technology, such as facial recognition and fingerprint recognition which is motivated by security imperatives and is inspired by worldwide counterparts. NEC specially adjusted its identification algorithm for the Aadhaar program to enhance the accuracy of its biometric system, The Wire reports. The company has provided biometrics to the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), the Airport Authority, the Smart Cities Mission, and Indian police forces. NEC has also helped India to build a Digi Yatra ecosystem by supplying facial recognition to four Airports.

Global recognition and adoption

A recent policy guide released by the G20, in collaboration with the World Bank and the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI), sheds light on the capacity of DPI to drive financial inclusion and prolific gains in developing countries. This 78-page document explores the function of DPIs in the financial sector, looking into their ability to foster inclusive economies and facilitate access to critical services, mainly for vulnerable communities. Understanding the case studies across Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America, the guide highlights the revolutionary impact of inter-communication and open DPI systems. This cites the IndiaStack, featuring the Aadhaar digital ID and UPI digital payments platform, as a key example of how DPIs can exceed financial services and extend into health, education, and social welfare domains.

According to the G20, DPI offers an important capability to expedite digital transformation inclusively, lowering transaction costs, nurturing innovation, and increasing individual user experiences. However, the guide also emphasizes the significance of robust data protection architecture and risk management frameworks to report the possible operational, legal, and regulatory challenges associated with DPI deployment. Authorities should adopt best practices, execute risk-based regulations, and initiate strong internal governance to maximize DPI benefits.

Economic impact and growth potential

According to a World Economic Forum analysis, India’s DPI has ignited a wave of innovations across various public and private sectors. At the heart of this is the seamless integration of DPI elements like Aadhaar, UPI, and Fastag into everyday transactions transforming how consumers interact with financial services and operate their businesses. A significant impact can be witnessed in retail where local firms and businesses have begun making use of DPI to enhance customer experiences and accelerate payment processes. With payment platforms such as UPI, retailers can now receive payments through QR codes instantly and securely without having to resort to inconvenient cash transactions nowadays. Thereby promoting efficiency and providing millions of small-scale retailers access to formal financial services thus facilitating financial inclusion as well as economic empowerment. The IndiaStack has contributed to financial insertion by providing a protective and accessible platform for digital transactions. This has permitted millions of Indian citizens, including those in rural areas who make up 64 percent of the population, to partake in the formal economy.

India’s focus on DPI suggests monumental economic power, aiming for an $8 trillion GDP by 2030. Despite aspiring projections, challenges like connectivity gaps and limited outreach prevail, demanding proactive government involvement. A recent research paper by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) suggests that the reliance of these programs on government control raises questions about innovation and private sector involvement. Private companies have a deep understanding of consumer and market opportunities and challenges, as opposed to governments, which pay more attention to policy-level solutions and deliverables for citizens. Collective approaches can utilize the private sector’s market insights and financial resources to address the government’s policy priorities.

Article Topics

Aadhaar  |  biometrics  |  digital identity  |  digital inclusion  |  digital public infrastructure  |  G20  |  India  |  India Stack  |  NEC  |  Unified Payments Interface - UPI