Indian leader Modi meets Sri Lankan counterpart for agreement on DPI roll out

Sri Lanka is getting a helping hand from India in its roll out of digital public infrastructure, the two countries’ leaders agreed in a face-to-face meeting.

Prime minister Narendra Modi hosted visiting Sri Lankan president Anura Kumara Dissanayake in New Delhi early this week where the pair discussed DPI and digital financial transactions. The Sri Lankan leader paid tribute to India’s “people-centric digitization” and communicated his government’s wish to establish similar systems in his island nation.

“Prime Minister Modi conveyed India’s readiness in fully supporting Sri Lanka’s efforts in this regard,” a joint statement said, issued after their meeting, and quoted by India News Network.

In addition, the leaders agreed to expedite implementation of the Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity (SLUDI) project to aid the country in its efforts to improve delivery of government services to the public. Another key agreement is to promote digital financial transactions by extending the use of UPI digital payments “for the benefit of both countries” (India launched UPI in Sri Lanka in February this year for the use of Indian tourists).

The leaders will also continue bilateral exchanges to “garner learnings” from India’s Aadhaar platform, GeM portal, PM Gati Shakti digital platform, digitized customs and other taxation procedures, with a view to exploring the benefits of establishing equivalent systems in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, there are ongoing technical discussions on the implementation of DigiLocker in Sri Lanka.

While in New Delhi, the Sri Lankan president addressed India business leaders at an India-Sri Lanka business forum and invited attendees to explore opportunities in sectors such as tourism, IT, and renewable energy in Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lankan president has made the roll-out of DPI a pressing matter for his government, and several weeks ago set out an 18-month timeframe for when he expected national digital ID to be implemented. Experts have also weighed in on the country’s need for greater income, as Sri Lanka faces economic challenges and high national debt, emphasizing the need to expand its tax base, which digital ID could help with.

In a recent op-ed in The Daily News, it is claimed the widespread adoption of digital transformation in Sri Lanka took off during the Covid-19 lockdowns. “The pandemic became a turning point, compelling citizens to rely on digital tools for banking, utilities, shopping, meetings, and even official processes like the unforgettable fuel QR code system,” it reads.

The piece highlights the recent appointment of Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, who was CEO of telco for Axiata Group, as Secretary to the Ministry of Digital Economy and Chairman of ICTA, as someone with the leadership and expertise to drive the country’s digital transformation.

Article Topics

digital economy  |  digital ID  |  digital identity  |  digital public infrastructure  |  India  |  national ID  |  Sri Lanka  |  Unified Payments Interface - UPI