Glossary

The Aadhaar Payments Bridge System (APBS), is an innovative payment mechanism operated by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). This payment mechanism operates using Aadhaar numbers as central identifiers. It directs government subsidies and benefits the Aadhaar-linked bank accounts of the rightful recipients. Thus it ensures a streamlined and secured transfer process. It differs from the existing systems for facilitating bulk electronic payments. The APBS is integral to enhancing India's Digital Public Infrastructure by promoting seamless financial transactions and bolstering financial inclusion across the nation. NPCI's role, as outlined on NPCI's official website, underscores its pivotal function in executing electronic financial distributions via APBS, promoting transparency and accountability in the distribution of governmental financial aid. This system is a cornerstone of India's digital governance, exemplifying the successful interface between technology and transparent governance.

The Aadhaar-enabled Payment System (AePS) is a secure and user-friendly digital payment platform developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). This innovative system leverages Aadhaar authentication, enabling customers to conduct financial transactions such as balance inquiries, cash deposits, withdrawals, and interbank transfers using their Aadhaar number and biometrics. AePS facilitates banking services through Point of Sale (PoS) devices and micro ATMs across India, promoting financial inclusion by making services accessible even in remote areas. It serves as a bank-led model allowing participation from any bank authorised by the NPCI, offering an interoperable means to the unbanked and underserved population.

For more information, visit NPCI’s AePS overview and FAQs.

Account Aggregators (AA) in India are entities that enable secure and consent-based sharing of financial data between Financial Information Providers (FIPs) and Financial Information Users (FIUs). Governed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), AAs facilitate a data-sharing framework that enhances financial inclusivity and streamlines loan approvals, among other financial services. An AA helps users share their digital financial information with various financial entities without needing to transfer or hand over documents physically. All data transactions occur only after explicit consent from the user, ensuring data privacy and security.

For more information, visit: Sahamati and Union Bank of India. 

The Central Board of Trustees (CBT) is the principal decision-making body of the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) in India. It was established under the Employees’ Provident Funds & Miscellaneous Provisions Act of 1952. The CBT is responsible for administering and overseeing the provident fund, pension, and insurance schemes under the EPFO. It consists of representatives from the Government of India, employers, and employees. The Board operates under the chairmanship of the Minister for Labour and Employment. It plays a crucial role in formulating policies related to the EPF, ensuring that the interests of the workforce are adequately safeguarded.

The Central Identities Data Repository (CIDR) is a centralised database established by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) for storing Aadhaar numbers and the corresponding demographic and biometric information of Indian residents. This repository plays a crucial role in the Aadhaar system, ensuring a unique identity for all residents and facilitating the provision of government services. The CIDR’s architecture is designed to provide robust security to safeguard personal information against unauthorised access. As a foundational component of India's digital identity system, the CIDR enables efficient and transparent service delivery, enhancing governance and easing public access to various services.

Source: Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) Official Website.

The Central Recordkeeping Agency (CRA) is a crucial component of India's National Pension System (NPS), which maintains records and administration for NPS subscribers. Implemented and regulated by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), the CRA ensures the proper management of individual subscriber accounts. Key responsibilities include recordkeeping, processing contributions, providing periodic consolidated Statements of Transactions and holding subscribers' funds. In India, the CRAs, such as Protean eGov Technologies Ltd and KFin Technologies Limited, operate under guidelines to maximize transparency and efficiency in retirement fund management. For authoritative information, please visit the official PFRDA website or related government sources.

The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) is a premier research organisation in India. It is an autonomous scientific society under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). Founded in 1987, C-DAC focuses on strengthening national technological capabilities and responding to the complex computing needs of different sectors. Leading the development of India's supercomputers, C-DAC debuted with PARAM 8000. C-DAC addresses advanced Information Technology, multilingual computing, cybersecurity, and health informatics among its critical functions. C-DAC also plays a pivotal role in promoting IT education and research in India. 

Visitors can explore C-DAC’s official site for more information.

CMMI Level 5 indicates the highest maturity level any organisation can achieve, which involves optimising processes. This certification is significant in industries like software development, showcasing an organisation's capability to continuously improve its functioning through incremental and innovative processes  and technological improvements. Achieving Level 5 certification implies that the company operates at an 'optimising' level, where continuous process improvement is enabled by quantitative feedback and innovative ideas and technologies, with a strong emphasis on continual improvement in process performance through both incremental and innovative technological improvements. Such certification often leads to higher quality products, increased customer satisfaction, and better market competitiveness. Having CMMI Level 5 Certification is an indicator of excellence in process management and improvement across diverse industries, assuring stakeholders of the reliability and quality of its process management practices.

Common Service Centers (CSCs) are a strategic cornerstone of the National e-Governance Plan (NeGP), which is an integral part of the Digital India program. They are government access points that deliver essential Public Utility Services, Healthcare, Social Welfare Schemes, Educational, Financial, and various other B2C and G2C services in the rural and remote areas of the country, thereby contributing to a digitally and financially inclusive society. CSCs are more than service delivery points in rural India. They are positioned as agents of change, promoting rural entrepreneurship and building rural capacities and livelihoods. They are enablers of community participation and collective action for engendering social change through a bottom-up approach with a key focus on the rural citizen. For more information, visit the official CSC website or Diginame provided by the Government of India.

CoWIN (COVID Vaccine Intelligence Network) is an Indian government-initiated digital platform built for managing India's COVID-19 vaccination drive. The platform facilitates the registration process for vaccination, scheduling appointments, and provides a dashboard for individuals to track their vaccination status. CoWIN also ensures vaccine availability transparency, and enables the issuance of digital vaccine certificates. It allows vaccine slot booking through authorized apps like Eka Care, Aarogya Setu, and Umang. Essential for healthcare administrators, it aids in logging inoculation data, thus ensuring streamlined vaccine logistics and real-time monitoring. The platform was crucial to India's goal of administering over a billion vaccine doses efficiently.

Customer Due Diligence (CDD) is a critical process encouraged by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) as part of its tightened norms, requiring banks and regulated entities to adopt a risk-based approach for periodic updating of Know Your Customer (KYC) information to curb financial crimes, such as money laundering and terrorism financing. It involves verifying the identity of customers and understanding the nature of their activities to assess the risk they pose. Financial institutions must obtain reliable identification documents, address details, and other pertinent information before establishing a business relationship. The process helps banks and other financial entities assess risks and manage their relationships with customers effectively. 

For detailed guidelines, RBI's official document on 'Know Your Customer (KYC) Direction, 2016' can be referred to at RBI's website. This ensures the safety and integrity of financial transactions in India.

DEPA, or Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture, is a groundbreaking framework introduced in India. It facilitates consent-based and secure data sharing among multiple stakeholders, enhancing citizens' control over their personal data. DEPA empowers individuals to access, manage, and share their data with third-party institutions securely and seamlessly, using a system of Consent Managers. While this architecture supports the digital empowerment of Indian citizens and can potentially be integral to platforms like DigiLocker for federating government-issued records, it is not explicitly tied to any one application. It promotes a secure and convenient method for data handling and sharing in the digital era.

DigiLocker is an advanced digital platform launched by the Government of India under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). Aiming at the "Digital Empowerment" of citizens, DigiLocker provides a secure digital wallet to store and share valid documents. This platform serves as a critical component of India's Digital India initiative, fostering data accessibility and integrity. It operates on the Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture (DEPA) framework and allows for the federation of data records from various government entities. DigiLocker's secure, cloud-based platform simplifies the process of document verification, reducing the dependence on physical documents and enhancing the convenience and efficiency of public interactions with government services. 

For more details, visit DigiLocker Official Site.

The DigiReady Certification (DRC) is an initiative by the Quality Council of India (QCI) in collaboration with the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). It is designed to assess and certify the digital readiness of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in India. Through an online self-assessment tool, MSMEs can evaluate their preparedness to join the ONDC platform as sellers. This certification aids MSMEs in enhancing their digital capabilities and expanding their business outreach by connecting them with relevant network participants. DRC aims to streamline the digital transformation process for MSMEs, ensuring they are equipped to meet modern e-commerce demands and opportunities effectively.

Established in 2021, the Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG) of G20 offers inspiration and broad guidance to policymakers on harnessing the digital potential of economies. The Working Group aims at digital transformation to enhance public participation and realize inclusive social and economic growth. Recognised as a successful model, DEWG has significantly impacted the digitalisation of economies, particularly in developing countries. India's involvement and leadership in DEWG have been marked by implementing the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), which other nations now seek to emulate. The DPI includes technologies like digital identification, payment systems, and data governance frameworks, which have collectively streamlined government services and economic activities in India. The adoption of these systems by other developing nations underscores DEWG’s effectiveness in fostering digital inclusivity and enhancing economic efficiencies on a global scale.

DIGIT (Digital Infrastructure for Governance, Impact & Transformation) is an open-source platform initiative by the Indian government, supporting the development of smart cities and facilitating responsive urban governance. DIGIT empowers urban local bodies (ULBs) by aiding them in the digital management of municipal operations, enhancing service delivery efficiency. The platform encompasses a suite of applications trying to address common urban municipal challenges such as property tax collections, building plan approvals, and grievance redressals. Its architecture supports scalability and interoperability among various governmental digital services.

For more information, visit the official DIGIT portal or the Ministry of Urban Development.

DIKSHA (Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing) is a pivotal Indian national platform designed exclusively for teachers, for facilitating learning through digital technology.  An initiative of the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT), under the aegis of the Ministry of Education (MoE), DIKSHA supports the entire lifecycle of a teacher from the stage of pre-service professional education, through employment and into post-service training. It acts as a digital portal offering tools like digitised textbooks, mock quizzes, and collaboration features. The platform helps in self-learning through various teacher-oriented courses and resources. These features allow for an enriched, scalable, and transformative training environment ensuring that teaching and learning are made enjoyable and effective. 

For more information, visit DIKSHA's official site.

DIVOC is an open-source digital infrastructure developed to streamline the rollout of mass vaccination programs. Its name, "Digital Infrastructure for Verifiable Open Credentialing," hints at its utility in issuing digital certificates for vaccinations after the necessary verifications. Supported by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India, DIVOC emphasises scalable solutions to manage appointment bookings, registration, and real-time record management efficiently. It integrates a digitally verifiable certification to confirm the individual’s vaccination status, contributing significantly to public health safety measures. This software compliant with WHO standards, ensuring its compatibility and reliability for widespread deployment.

For authoritative information, refer to the official channels and documentation often distributed by the Indian government and health agencies.

Digital Public Goods (DPGs), such as the Aadhaar identity system, encompass transformative digital resources crucial in improving the efficiency and reach of public services in sectors like healthcare and governance in India. These DPGs facilitate secured, universally accessible public infrastructure services, emphasizing the seamless integration and essential role within the broader framework of India's Digital Public Infrastructure. These goods aim to ensure transparency and increase accessibility, and by aligning with digital sovereignty, they also seek to empower government-citizen engagement.

To understand more comprehensively about DPGs and their interface with public infrastructure, you can explore detailed insights provided in articles like Digital Public Goods: A Comprehensive Guide and discussions around their impact on governance and public health notably seen in Digital Public Good: A Game Changer in India's e-Governance. These articles provide essential contextual background pertinent to appreciate the scope and efficacy of Digital Public Goods in the Indian context.

Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) in India refers to a set of shared and interoperable digital systems, which include frameworks like Aadhaar for identity verification, Unified Payments Interface (UPI) for financial transactions, and CoWIN for vaccination management, created and implemented by the government to facilitate efficient public service delivery through digital means. These infrastructures support wide-scale digitisation enabling various services like digital payments, education, and health care to be more accessible to the Indian population. They leverage technologies that ensure data security, improve transparency, and increase citizen engagement. DPI is pivotal in realising the vision of Digital India, aiming to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.

For more detailed information on specific DPI initiatives, visit official Indian government websites or trusted sources like National Portal of India and Digital India Portal.

Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) is a scheme implemented by the Indian government to transfer subsidies and financial benefits directly to the beneficiaries' bank accounts. Introduced to ensure a faster and more accurate delivery of benefits, DBT reduces the risk of fraud and misuse of funds. It covers a wide range of government programs, from social welfare schemes such as scholarships and pensions to subsidies on fuel and fertilizer. The DBT system is linked with Aadhaar, India’s unique identification number, to authenticate the identity of recipients and streamline the process. 

For more details on the DBT program, visit India's official DBT portal.

DHIS (District Health Information Software) is an open-source software platform widely used for health management information systems in India. It is particularly noted for its capacity to collect, analyse, and report on health data, thereby enhancing the efficiency and decision-making process within the healthcare sector. In India, DHIS supports the active management of health records and facilitates the aggregation of data across different health programs and projects. The platform promotes data-driven decisions and is integrated into governmental health initiatives to improve service delivery and program outcomes. Moreover, DHIS offers monetary incentives for record-linking to encourage systematic data integration and quality improvements across health systems. The use of DHIS by health authorities in India ensures a standardised approach to healthcare information management, ultimately improving health outcomes.

DPI-as-a-Service (DaaS) in India refers to the delivery of scalable and interoperable digital infrastructure as a service, supporting various government initiatives for better governance. This model leverages cloud-based solutions to offer robust platforms where services such as Aadhaar, Unified Payments Interface (UPI), and DigiLocker are integrated. DPI-as-a-Service aims to enhance public access to government services, facilitating growth by improving service delivery efficiency and transparency. By offering such infrastructures as a service, India positions itself to rapidly deploy and scale digital services, essential for leveraging technology across public sectors, thus boosting digital inclusion.

The eGov Foundation, established in 2003, plays a crucial role in transforming governmental service delivery in India through digital innovation. Its goal is to drive national digital transformation by developing robust public digital platforms like DIGIT. These platforms facilitate seamless policy formulation and create open ecosystems for government bodies, enhancing transparency, efficiency, and citizen engagement. eGov Foundation’s initiatives, supported by technology, aim to make government services accessible to the vast Indian population, ensuring sustainability and scalability in governance. This alignment with digital India goals underscores the eGov Foundation's commitment to enhancing nationwide governance through technology.

For more information, visit: eGov Foundation Official Website.

Common Services Centers (CSCs), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), have joined hands with the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) to enable e‑commerce access to rural citizens across India. This joint venture will enable the integration of CSC's e‑Grameen app on the ONDC Network as a buyer application, allowing citizens across rural India to access its vast e‑commerce Network.

The e-Grameen app is designed to empower rural India by providing extensive access to products and services through digital commerce. As a buyer application integrated into the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) platform, e-Grameen facilitates seamless connectivity between rural consumers and various e-commerce providers. This integration helps bridge the digital divide by ensuring that those in rural areas have the same shopping opportunities as those in urban centres. The app supports local languages and is tailored to address the specific needs and challenges of rural consumers. This initiative aligns with the Government of India’s efforts to enhance digital inclusivity and promote rural entrepreneurship through technology.

eMobility, or electric mobility, is significant in India's push towards sustainable transport. The Indian government actively supports eMobility through initiatives like the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric vehicles (FAME) scheme, part of the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan. This plan aims to boost electric vehicle (EV) production and adoption, with a vision to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and mitigate environmental impacts. By offering subsidies on electric and hybrid vehicles, the government encourages the adoption of cleaner transportation. Prominent Indian auto manufacturers are rapidly expanding their EV offerings, responding to the policy environment and growing consumer interest. 

For more information, visit the official National Electric Mobility Mission Plan page.

eAuth, short for Electronic Authentication, is an innovative digital framework implemented by the Government of India designed to verify the identities of individuals and entities electronically. This secure system is pivotal in ensuring the integrity and authenticity of various digital transactions across government services. eAuth employs advanced cryptographic techniques and adheres to standards specified in the Information Technology Act, 2000. It underscores its robustness in protecting against unauthorised access and fraud. Furthermore, it facilitates a wide range of services including e-Governance, online banking, and digital document verification, contributing to India's digital empowerment agenda and enhancing ease of access for its citizens. eAuthentication in India is represented by multiple initiatives like the National eAuthentication Framework (NeAF) and ePramaan.

e-KYC, or Electronic Know Your Customer, refers to the digital method of verifying the identity of individuals or entities, primarily used by financial institutions and other organisations in India. This process aligns with the standards and requirements set by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and is regulated under the provisions of India’s Aadhaar Act. e-KYC enables businesses to conduct customer verification efficiently by using Aadhaar-based authentication, which leverages biometric data (fingerprint or iris) and demographic details (name, age, gender, address). It ensures secure and real-time verification, greatly reducing paperwork and costs associated with physical KYC processes. e-KYC is widely adopted across various sectors for its convenience and speed, providing a robust framework for compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) guidelines and enhancing the safety of personal identity information.

Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) is a comprehensive process used by financial institutions in India to assess the risk level of higher-risk customers. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) mandates EDD as part of the Know Your Customer (KYC) norms, particularly in dealing with high-net-worth individuals, politically exposed persons (PEPs), and entities involved in high-risk countries. EDD involves gathering additional information to better understand the customer’s financial activities and the risk they present. This includes more detailed scrutiny of financial transactions, assessing the source of funds, and ongoing monitoring activities. The objective of this process is to prevent financial crimes like money laundering and terrorist financing.

For more information, please visit RBI’s official guidelines.

eSanjeevani is an innovative telemedicine service introduced by the Indian government. It is designed to extend healthcare services to the most remote regions of the country. This platform enables both direct and assisted tele-consultations with medical professionals, ensuring that even those in distant areas have access to quality healthcare. eSanjeevani operates on a secure, cloud-based infrastructure that is compliant with the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). Also, it adheres to the Electronic Health Records (EHR) guidelines set by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Its establishment highlights a significant move towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in India, promoting digital health equity across the nation. 

For more information, visit the official eSanjeevani portal provided by the Indian government.

eSign is a secure and government-approved electronic signature service in India, enabling citizens to digitally sign documents online. Under the framework of the Information Technology Act, 2000, eSign facilitates an Aadhaar-based authentication process, which ensures statutory and regulatory compliances with substantive and procedural laws. This service is pivotal for streamlining bureaucratic processes and improving ease of doing business, offering a key component in paperless transactions. The Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA), under the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, monitors the regulatory framework, making eSign a reliable and trustable digital tool for authentication.

Financial Inclusion in India aims to provide access to financial services at affordable costs to the underserved population. A key initiative underpinning this mission is the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY). This initiative was launched to ensure services such as banking, credit, insurance, and pensions are available to all, particularly the economically weaker sections. The integration of digital technologies into these services facilitates broader, efficient, and inclusive financial environments capable of reaching the last mile. Digital Public Infrastructure plays a crucial role here by leveraging technology to streamline the delivery of financial services. Thus enhancing the reach and efficiency of financial inclusion programs throughout India.

For more details, visit: Press Information Bureau  and Ministry of Finance.

FINTERNET (Financial Internet), proposed by Nandan Nilekani and Agustin Carstens, aims to enhance financial services through a global digital system utilising key elements of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). This initiative emphasises user-centricity, universality, and unification across financial ecosystems, leveraging tokenization and unified programmable ledgers. Through such technological innovations, FINTERNET intends to deliver financial services more rapidly, affordably, and securely. The blueprint of FINTERNET draws upon Narendra Nilekani's extensive experience with India's successful DPI implementations, such as Aadhaar and UPI, enabling seamless service delivery and inclusive access to financial services. This framework's introduction could potentially revolutionise how financial connectivity operates on a global scale.

The Foundation for Interoperability in Digital Economy (FIDE) is an initiative focused on enhancing interoperability across different digital platforms in India. It aims to create a unified framework that simplifies digital transactions and interactions for users and providers, promoting a seamless digital economy. It supports the development of standards and protocols to ensure smooth communication between diverse systems and technologies. FIDE works closely with Indian government bodies, tech companies, and other stakeholders to drive innovation and inclusivity in digital services. This initiative is pivotal in reinforcing India's position as a global leader in the digital economy, aiding in both technological and economic growth.

The Global Digital Public Infrastructure Repository (GDPIR) is a pivotal initiative under India's G20 Presidency, aimed at centralising successful Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) systems worldwide. Hosted by India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), GDPIR serves as a digital vault that collects and shares DPI data and expertise globally. It ensures access to best practices in digital governance and public service delivery. This repository significantly enhances interactions between various global DPI projects influencing societal benefits through technology. GDPIR embodies a strategic framework for digital cooperation and development, linking digital public infrastructures like Aadhaar and UPI to broader global standards and deployments.

For further details, visit MeitY and GDPIR's main page.

The Golden Peacock Award for Business Excellence, established by the Institute of Directors, India in 1991, is a prestigious accolade celebrating corporate excellence across businesses in India. This award promotes best practices in corporate governance and excellence by recognising distinctive achievements of organisations that lead to sustainable business growth. Alongside measuring tangible organisational accomplishments, the award stimulates qualitative improvements in the global and local business ecosystem. Its relevance to Digital Public Infrastructure is significant as it encourages the adoption of digital and technological solutions in achieving business excellence, thus fostering better governance and public services delivery. 

Learn more about the application and criteria on their official website at Golden Peacock Awards. 

The Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN) is a digital public infrastructure in India, facilitating the administration of the GST regime—a uniform tax imposed on goods and services across the country. Operating through the portal, GSTN simplifies processes such as registration, tax payments, and return filing for taxpayers. As a backbone of India's digital tax framework, GSTN supports the transparency and efficiency of tax collection and compliance, both crucial for the rationalisation of India’s indirect tax system. Moreover, as a crucial part of India’s Digital India initiative, the seamless, online operations of GSTN epitomize the government's commitment to utilising technology to enhance governance and public service delivery.

G2Px stands for Government-to-Person payments initiative in India, focusing on enhancing the payments' system from governmental bodies directly to individuals. This initiative is essential in promoting financial inclusion and streamlining the distribution of social benefits, ensuring efficient and transparent transactions. G2Px operates under India’s broader push towards Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), aimed at creating a unified, accessible, and secure digital framework to support various governmental services and payments. Digital platforms under DPI, like G2Px, support the elimination of intermediaries, reduce corruption, and increase the speed and reliability of government payments directly to citizens. 

For more information, interested parties can refer to Digital Financial Inclusion frameworks from reputable resources such as Better Than Cash Alliance  and World Bank.

The Grameen e-Store, integral to India's Digital Public Infrastructure, enables Common Services Centers (CSC) sellers to extend their reach via the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). This platform allows rural entrepreneurs to receive seamless orders, fostering digital inclusiveness and boosting local economies. Connection through ONDC promotes equal ecommerce opportunities, furthering the goal of Gram Swaraj by empowering village-level entrepreneurs. The integration ensures a more equitable distribution of digital resources, making entrepreneurship feasible at the grassroot level in India.

For more information, please visit [Common Services Centers (CSCs) and ONDC Network.

The Health Claim Exchange (HCX) Platform is a significant component of India's expanding Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), specifically tailored to streamline and enhance the efficiency of insurance claims processing across the healthcare sector. As part of the broader Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), HCX aims to serve as a unified platform facilitating the exchange of claims-related information, ensuring a smoother, faster, and more transparent handling process. This integration into the digital public infrastructure allows for a significant reduction in turnaround times for insurance claims processing and enhances overall accessibility to medical services Arthur D. Little. HCX employs the foundational principles laid out by the "India Stack" which aims to digitise and integrate various system protocols to create an efficient and scale-friendly infrastructure NASSCOM Community PDF. This platform is not only a testament to India's commitment to digital innovation in healthcare but also exemplifies the practical implementation of DPI in improving the ease and quality of healthcare delivered to the Indian population.

The Permanent Account Number (PAN) is a unique ten-digit alphanumeric identifier issued by the Income Tax Department of India. It applies to any "person" who applies for it or is automatically assigned one.

Here's how a PAN benefits you:

Tracks your tax information: The PAN acts as a single reference point for the Income Tax Department, linking all your tax-related transactions. This includes tax payments, deductions at source (TDS) and tax collected at source (TCS) credits, income tax returns, and specified financial transactions.
Simplifies tax administration: PAN simplifies record-keeping and information retrieval for both taxpayers and the tax department. It allows for easier assessment, collection of taxes, and detection of tax evasion.

Obtaining a PAN is essential for filing income tax returns, conducting certain financial transactions, and claiming tax benefits in India.

A PAN Service Agency (PSA) acts as an intermediary between individuals or businesses and the Income Tax Department of India for obtaining a Permanent Account Number (PAN). While the PAN itself is issued by Protean eGov Technologies or UTI, PSAs assist with the application process, earning a commission for their services. It's important to note that PSAs associated with Protean can only facilitate paperless PAN applications.

Using a PSA can simplify the PAN application process, especially for those unfamiliar with online procedures.

The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) is a statutory body established by the Indian government. It acts as the chief regulator for the pension sector in India. Their primary function is to promote, develop, and regulate pension schemes, with a focus on ensuring the long-term security and well-being of retirees.

In the National Pension System (NPS) of India, a Point of Presence (PoP) refers to a network of authorized financial institutions that act as service providers for subscribers. These PoPs simplify enrollment, contribution deposits, and other NPS-related services for both individuals and corporations.

A Tax Information Network Facilitation Centre (TIN-FC) acts as a one-stop shop for individuals and businesses in India to access services related to both the Permanent Account Number (PAN) and the Tax Information Network (TIN). These centers, often referred to as "TIN-FC cum PAN Centres," offer a range of services, including:

Receiving and uploading electronic tax deducted at source (TDS) and tax collected at source (TCS) returns from deductors and collectors.

Accepting applications for new PAN cards or changes to existing ones.

TIN-FCs offer a convenient way to manage your PAN and fulfill tax filing obligations.

AI4bharat is a renowned research lab at IIT Madras that was built to enable an innovation ecosystem. Its goal is to bridge the gap between English and Indian languages in AI technologies by making open-source contributions in datasets, models, and applications. The AI4bharat research lab is actively working on the development of tools, open-source datasets, models, and applications for Indian languages. 

Some of the prominent areas wherein they conduct research include large language models, text-to-speech conversion, automated speech recognition, optical character recognition, machine translation, and transliteration. One of the most prominent partners of AI4bharat is the Digital India Bhashini Mission. Grants from top companies like Bhashini, Microsoft, Google, and Nvidia, help this organisation fund their research.

AI4bharat has made significant advancements in Indian language technology, which has been shared at several prestigious conferences. AI4bharat’s work on developing AI technologies for Indian languages directly supports India’s Digital Public Infrastructure by enhancing linguistic accessibility and inclusivity in digital services. Their transliteration tech simplifies various tasks which have contributed to their popularity among the residents of India. 

AIRAWAT (AI Research Analytics and Knowledge Dissemination Platform) is India's artificial intelligence supercomputer installed at C-DAC, Pune, ranked 75th in the Top 500 Global Supercomputing List as announced at ISC 2023. The system operates with 200 AI Petaflops Mixed Precision peak compute capacity and, when integrated with PARAM Siddhi-AI, delivers a total peak compute of 410 AI Petaflops Mixed Precision.

Funded by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), AIRAWAT aims to empower academia, research labs, industry, and startups to develop indigenous AI solutions for India-specific challenges. The system supports various AI applications including Natural Language Processing, Image Processing, Pattern Recognition, Agriculture, Medical Imaging, Education, Healthcare, and Robotics.

AIRAWAT represents a crucial component of India's digital public infrastructure, particularly in advancing AI capabilities at scale. As part of the National Program on AI (NPAI), it provides the computational backbone necessary for developing and deploying AI solutions that can enhance public services and digital governance. MeitY's roadmap to scale AIRAWAT to 1,000 AI Petaflops demonstrates India's commitment to building robust digital infrastructure for AI innovation.

Anti-Money Laundering (AML) refers to the regulatory framework and procedures designed to prevent the conversion of illegally obtained money into legitimate assets. In India, AML is primarily governed by the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) of 2002, which provides comprehensive provisions to combat money laundering, terrorism financing, and proliferation financing.

The AML framework in India is overseen by multiple regulatory authorities including:

• Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU): The central agency for receiving and analyzing suspicious transactions

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI): The primary regulator for banks and financial institutions

• Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI): Regulator for securities markets

• Enforcement Directorate (ED): Investigates and prosecutes money laundering offenses

AML regulations increasingly leverage India's digital infrastructure through integration with systems like KYC verification, Aadhaar-based authentication, and account aggregator frameworks. The implementation of advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence and blockchain, is transforming AML compliance by enabling real-time transaction monitoring and suspicious activity detection. This integration with digital public infrastructure enhances the effectiveness of AML measures while ensuring secure and transparent financial transactions.

Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) is a sophisticated technology platform that enables automated identification and verification of individuals using their biometric data. In India, ABIS is used extensively in the Aadhaar ecosystem, where multiple vendors provide ABIS solutions to ensure the highest levels of accuracy and performance.

The system processes both fingerprint and iris data, performing critical functions such as:

• Template extraction and matching

• Quality checks during data capture

• High-speed processing of millions of biometric templates

• Support for multiple biometric standards and formats

Key features include:

• Average matching time of less than 0.1 seconds

• Support for juvenile and older age group fingerprints

• Capability to handle varied environmental conditions

• Scalability to accommodate growing user bases

ABIS serves as a foundational component of India's digital public infrastructure, particularly in the Aadhaar ecosystem. The system ensures uniqueness of identity by performing biometric de-duplication across billions of records. This integration with digital infrastructure enables secure authentication for various e-governance services, including digital signatures, banking services, and other identity verification needs.

Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), launched in September 2021, is India's flagship digital health initiative that aims to develop an integrated digital health infrastructure. The mission, implemented by the National Health Authority (NHA), provides citizens with digital health IDs that enable secure access to and portability of their health records.

Key components of ABDM include:

• Digital Health ID for all citizens

• Healthcare Professionals Registry

• Health Facility Registry

• Personal Health Records

• Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission Sandbox for technology testing

The mission was initially piloted in six Union Territories and has received a budgetary allocation of ₹1,600 crore for nationwide implementation over five years.

ABDM exemplifies India's approach to building digital public infrastructure in healthcare. The mission leverages existing digital infrastructure like Aadhaar and UPI (JAM trinity) to create an interoperable health ecosystem. By enabling secure data exchange between healthcare providers, insurers, and citizens, ABDM demonstrates how digital infrastructure can transform healthcare delivery while ensuring privacy and accessibility.

Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) is a 14-digit unique digital health ID that enables citizens to access and share their health records digitally across the healthcare ecosystem. Launched as part of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), ABHA serves as a unified health identity that links all medical records and facilitates seamless interaction with verified healthcare providers.

Key features include:

• Free registration and creation of health ID

• Secure storage and sharing of health records

• Integration with healthcare providers and insurance schemes

• Access to electronic health records and lab reports

• Real-time monitoring of healthcare services

ABHA exemplifies India's DPI approach in healthcare by creating an interoperable ecosystem for digital health transactions. With over 67 crore accounts created and 42 crore health records linked, ABHA demonstrates how digital infrastructure can transform healthcare delivery. The system leverages DPI to enable seamless data exchange while ensuring privacy and security under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, making healthcare more accessible, efficient, and transparent across the nation.

The Beckn Protocol is an open-source standard revolutionizing digital commerce by promoting decentralization and interoperability. Developed by the Foundation for Interoperability in Digital Economy (FIDE), Beckn empowers businesses, consumers, and governments to participate equally in the digital economy, regardless of size or location.  It serves as a cornerstone for initiatives like the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).

Key Features & Benefits:

• Decentralized & Interoperable: Beckn facilitates direct interaction between buyers and sellers, eliminating reliance on centralized platforms and fostering a fairer, more competitive ecosystem.
• Open & Collaborative: Built on open principles with specifications available under a Creative Commons license, Beckn encourages global contributions and continuous evolution.
• Flexible & Adaptable: Beckn can be implemented across diverse sectors like e-commerce, mobility, healthcare, and logistics, enabling specialized applications while maintaining interoperability.
• Inclusive & Empowering: Beckn empowers small businesses and local providers to integrate into the digital landscape, boosting competition and innovation.
• Simplified Integration: Businesses integrate with Beckn once to gain discoverability across multiple platforms, significantly lowering barriers to entry.

How Beckn Works:

Beckn enables seamless transactions across various services within a single app. Imagine ordering food from any restaurant using one app, bypassing individual restaurant or delivery apps. This is achieved through standardized APIs that facilitate communication between service providers and consumer apps, ensuring smooth discoverability and interaction. Beckn-ONIX (Beckn Open Network in a Box) is an open-source stack for rapid deployment and configuration of Beckn-enabled networks.

Understanding Beckn's Architecture:

• Key Entities: Registries, seller platforms, and buyer platforms collaborate to streamline transactions and communication.
• Beckn Gateway: This crucial component facilitates peer-to-peer data flow, revolutionizing buyer-seller interactions. It acts as a routing utility, enabling standardized commerce-specific requests and responses.

To delve deeper into Beckn's transformative potential, explore its vision and learn more about its structure and applications. This comprehensive resource showcases how Beckn enhances interoperability and decentralization across various industries.

BecknGPT, or Beckn Generative Pre-Trained Transformer, is an open-source demonstration app that is designed based on Open AI’s ChatGPT with the Beckn protocol. It is a multi-network AI agent that can conduct transactions on behalf of the user and operates primarily within the framework of the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). BecknGPT can perform tasks like booking travel tickets, ordering groceries, buying a book online, and even finding EV charging stations. Also, it can perform inter-network transactions, switching between multiple open networks.

Formerly known as the Beckn Foundation, FIDE (Foundation for Interoperability in Digital Economy) is the co-author of the Beckn protocol. They envisioned that integrating AI with the Beckn protocol would help unlock a multiverse of possibilities. Primarily, BecknGPT functions in a manner similar to a buyer app on ONDC, such as Paytm, Magicpin, and so on. This is so because BecknGPT has a chat-based interface where the AI understands Beckn and responds to the commands accordingly.

BecknGPT represents a significant advancement in Digital Public Infrastructure in India by integrating AI capabilities with the open, interoperable Beckn protocol to create a more accessible and efficient digital commerce ecosystem.

BharatNet is India's largest rural broadband connectivity project, launched under the Digital India program to provide high-speed internet access to approximately 2.5 lakh gram panchayats and 6 lakh villages. As of January 2024, the project has made 2,10,100 gram panchayats service-ready and deployed 6,68,491 km of optical fiber.

The project is implemented in phases, with Phase I completed in December 2017, connecting over 1 lakh gram panchayats. Phase II employs multiple implementation models including State-led, Private Sector, and CPSU models. The government has allocated Rs. 42,068 crores for the project, with Rs. 39,825 crore disbursed as of December 2023.

BharatNet serves as a foundational component of India's digital public infrastructure by providing the essential connectivity backbone for rural areas. The project enables delivery of various digital services including e-governance, telemedicine, and online education. Through collaboration with Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs), BharatNet demonstrates how digital infrastructure can be sustainably maintained while ensuring last-mile connectivity, making it crucial for India's digital transformation.

Bhashini (BHASa INterface for India) is India's AI-led language translation platform launched in August 2022 under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology's National Language Translation Mission. The platform aims to eliminate language barriers and enable digital inclusion across India's diverse linguistic landscape.

Key features include:

• Support for 22 Indian languages

• Over 300 pre-trained AI models

• Processing of 6 million daily inferences

• Real-time translation capabilities

• Voice-based access and translation services

The platform has demonstrated practical applications across various sectors, including:

• Legal proceedings translation

• Agricultural information dissemination

• Government scheme accessibility

• Financial document translation

• Railway manual accessibility for visually impaired users

Bhashini exemplifies India's DPI approach by providing open-source AI models and APIs that enable seamless integration of language services across digital platforms. Through initiatives like ONDC's Saarthi and partnerships with various stakeholders, Bhashini demonstrates how digital infrastructure can break down language barriers while promoting inclusive access to digital services. The platform's integration with government services and private sector applications showcases the transformative potential of language-focused digital public infrastructure.

Bima Sugam is a revolutionary online insurance marketplace approved by IRDAI that aims to serve as a one-stop platform for all insurance needs. The platform, part of IRDAI's Bima Trinity initiative alongside Bima Vistaar and Bima Vaahak, enables users to explore, compare, and purchase insurance policies across life, health, and general insurance categories13.

Key features include:

• Paperless claim settlements

• E-Bima accounts for policy consolidation

• Direct digital policy purchase and management

• Streamlined documentation processes

• Potential premium reductions through reduced intermediary costs

The platform will be funded primarily by insurance companies, with life and general insurance companies each holding 30% stake, requiring an initial capital of Rs. 85 crores.

Described as a "UPI-like moment in insurance" by IRDAI Chairman Debasish Panda, Bima Sugam exemplifies India's DPI approach by creating an interoperable platform that connects insurers, intermediaries, and customers. Through its API-based plug-and-play architecture, the platform demonstrates how digital infrastructure can transform insurance accessibility while promoting transparency and efficiency in pursuit of "Insurance for all by 2047”.

Biometric technology in India refers to the automated recognition and verification of individuals based on their physical or behavioral characteristics. The most widely implemented biometric system in India is Aadhaar, which has become the world's largest biometric identification system with over 1.3 billion enrollments.

Key applications include:

• Identity verification through fingerprints and iris scans

• Facial recognition at airports through Digi Yatra

• Security systems for law enforcement

• Authentication for welfare scheme distribution

• KYC processes across financial sectors

The technology has been refined specifically for Indian conditions, with companies like NEC adjusting their identification algorithms to enhance accuracy for the Aadhaar program.

Biometrics form a foundational layer of India's digital public infrastructure, particularly through Aadhaar. As part of India Stack's identity layer, biometric authentication enables secure access to various digital services while preventing fraud in welfare distribution. This integration demonstrates how biometric technology serves as a crucial component in building trusted, scalable digital infrastructure that supports both government and private sector services.

ONDC, in January 2024, merged forces with Google, Protean, Antler, and Paytm to launch the nationwide hackathon, ‘Build for Bharat’. This initiative aims to democratise the digital commerce ecosystem in India. It helped ONDC leverage community contributions that can lead to the development of innovative and scalable solutions for tackling various challenges in the adoption of ONDC. It also created unique opportunities for entrepreneurs and innovators to effectively solve existing problems on ONDC. Thus, these initiatives empowered every participant to address and solve any type of problem that they are facing. 

Developers, startups, and students from various regions were invited to design solutions across three verticals for the ‘Build for Bharat’ initiative. These verticals include planning scalable solutions to address growing challenges, designing next-generation startups to tackle problems in different sections of e-commerce, and developing practical solutions to tackle holistic challenges. A total of 17 problem statements were developed across these three verticals that encompassed topics like digitisation and management of inventories, cataloguing, supporting Indic languages, utilising data as a service, logistics, and so on. 

By bringing together diverse talents and focusing on practical solutions, this initiative contributes to the broader goals of India’s Digital Public Infrastructure, promoting accessibility, innovation, and economic growth in the digital sphere.

Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) is a digital form of legal tender issued by a central bank, such as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). CBDC, or Central Bank Digital Currency, differs from cryptocurrencies in several ways. First, it is issued and regulated by the central bank itself. Additionally, its value is tied to and equivalent to the fiat currency of the respective country. These differences include the value of the currencies that the central bank determines and their value is equivalent to the country’s fiat currency. The primary aim of the CBDC is to enhance the implementation of monetary and fiscal policies and promote financial inclusion.

The initiative of digital currency introduction was taken as some of the world’s economies are moving toward their use. Usually, there are two primary categories of CBDCs, wholesale and retail. Wholesale CBDCs were introduced to regulate financial institutions and operate the central bank reserves. On the contrary, the retail CBDCs are designed for businesses and households to simplify everyday transactions and payments. 

India’s CBDC initiative is a key component of its Digital Public Infrastructure, enhancing financial inclusion and modernising the monetary system.

COSS or Centre for Open Societal Systems, is a non-profit organisation that plays an active role in global societal transformation through the adoption of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). COSS is a Bangalore-based company that was established in the year 2024. The organisation was introduced with a mission to improve the lives of at least 1 billion people globally by 2030. They aimed to do so by encouraging people to adopt the social system with the use of Digital Public Goods (DPGs). Currently, there is a well-defined team of about 10 members, who strive towards the fulfilment of the purpose of this organisation. COSS actively promotes Digital Public Infrastructure in India, driving societal transformation through the adoption of open digital systems.

Common protocol refers to a set of standardised rules that govern the communication and interaction between devices connected to a network. It helps computers connect to a network in a similar manner to how humans communicate. 

In the context of the internet and digital networks, there exist various types of protocols that operate across different layers of the OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) model. There are seven layers to this OSI model. 

These layers help in simplifying the task of information transfer, making communication easily manageable. Each layer is self-contained, interacting with the layer beneath it and providing various facilities to the layer above it. 

Some common protocols available include Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), User Datagram Protocol (UDP), Domain Name System (DNS), Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), Address Resolution Protocol (ARP), and Telnet. The most popular common protocol among all types of common protocols available is TCP/IP, which is used for communication on the Internet or other types of networks.  

Common Protocol is an important concept within the broader framework of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), as it enables interoperability and seamless communication between different digital systems and platforms.

The National Health Authority (NHA) introduced the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) with the aim of creating a digital health ecosystem for the country. This mission is popular for its active participation in supporting various healthcare facilities such as hospitals, diagnostic centres, clinics, laboratories, and pharmacies in the adoption of the ABDM ecosystem. Upon doing so, all citizens of India can reap the benefits of digital health. 

Some of the notable benefits of digital health incentive schemes (DHIS) include earning incentives for digitisation, enhancement in the efficiency of healthcare delivery, improving the quality of healthcare, and building a robust digital health ecosystem. All healthcare facilities like nursing homes, clinics, and hospitals, along with laboratories, diagnostic centres, and pharmacies are eligible to apply under this scheme. 

To start earning incentives, all you will have to do is move to the official portal of ABDM and register on the Health Facility Registry (HFR) or ABDM Sandbox. Next, integrate and start using the ABDM software on a daily basis. After that, log in to your profile to register for DHIS. Once done, you can claim the incentives earned so far through this scheme, without undergoing much hassle. 

The Digital Health Incentive Scheme is an integral part of India’s Digital Public Infrastructure, specifically in the healthcare sector. It aims to create a seamless digital health ecosystem by incentivizing the adoption of digital health technologies and practices.

Digital onboarding is the process that helps companies acquire customers by helping them encourage their customers to subscribe to their services remotely. The main purpose of this initiative is to verify the identity of the customer that a business onboards. This helps companies to be assured that their customers are actually the persons they claim to be. The process of digital onboarding involves collecting facial biometrics, detecting liveness, and verifying identity documents using various technologies. 

This process is even used to onboard employees during remote jobs. During this process, even the employees gain all the insights of the company that are essential to become an integral part of the company. This shift to digitisation of the onboarding process has become a necessity, especially after the COVID outbreak. During the digital onboarding process, the personal data of clients or employees is extracted from the documents that they have submitted and is cross-checked against the data encrypted on the RFID chip or Machine-Readable Zone (MRZ).

In India, digital onboarding is closely linked with the country’s robust Digital Public Infrastructure, including platforms like Aadhaar and UPI, which facilitate seamless identity verification and financial transactions, respectively.

Digital Public Platforms or Digital Public Infrastructure and Platforms (DPIP) is an initiative taken by the Indian government to build and deploy digital public infrastructure. It enables the integration of Aadhaar, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), Digital Infrastructure for Governance, Impact and Transformation (DIGIT), etc., encouraging digital adoption. Some of the benefits of using this platform include being cheaper and more efficient in use, ensuring plugging leaks, and offering immediately visible results. 

The digital public platform is open to all and free of cost. Moreover, there are no ownership issues, always available to everyone, help everyone associated with the platform, and continuously grow and improve their ventures. The primary reason behind introducing the digital public platform is to ensure inclusivity and accessibility, act as an innovative catalyst, offer efficiency and transparency, help in healthcare advancement, and act as a global impact. 

Digitised government services, also known as e-government, are specific services delivered by the government to citizens and businesses using information and communication technologies. Also, it facilitates the service delivery between the government and the public with the help of information and communication technologies. 

Some of the popularly used digitised government services include filing tax returns, renewing driving licenses, applying for passports, and accessing various welfare schemes. Today, people can avail almost all types of government services online. 

Digital government services offer various benefits to citizens and the government. These include enhanced online experience for citizens, improved efficiency and productivity, increased participation of the public, reduced administrative burden on government departments, enhanced user experience for citizens, better collaboration among departments, more innovation, and reduced labour costs. 

Numerous departments that have enabled their services online to streamline the availability of government services. There are several real-life examples that people can refer to for understanding the benefits of these services. 

Digitised government services are closely associated with Digital Public Infrastructure in India, as they provide the backbone for interactions between the government and its citizens, ensuring transparent, efficient service delivery and contributing to the development of a robust digital economy.

Jaadui Pitara is an initiative taken by the government that is intricately designed for children aged between 3 and 8 years old. It was designed in February 2022, under the New Education Policy 2020. The main objective of the government behind launching Jaadui Pitara was to provide play-based learning-teaching material for children at their foundational stage as envisioned by the National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage (NCF-FS). The Jaadui Pitara, which translates to ‘Magic Box’ was finally launched in November 2023, and was made available in 13 different languages to cater to the diverse needs of learners. 

e-Jaadui Pitara was launched alongside the physical Jaadui Pitara to strengthen the digital infrastructure of this initiative and offer diverse accessibility to children.  It can be accessed through multiple channels including electronic devices like smartphones, laptops, televisions, and radios. Even, it can be easily accessed from the DIKSHA platform where there are diverse learning materials that teachers or parents can easily download for their children. Over the years, the e-Jaadui Pitara has been gracefully embraced by administrators, young children, and educators. 

e-Jaadui Pitara is an integral part of India’s Digital Public Infrastructure, leveraging technology to democratize access to quality educational content and support the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020.

EHR or Electronic Health Record is the electronic version of storing the medical history of patients. It is maintained throughout the lifespan of a patient and includes various administrative clinical data that is relevant to them. These records usually include details such as demographics, problems, medications, past medical history, progress notes, vital signs, immunizations, laboratory data, and radiology reports. Electronic Health Records (EHR) facilitate secure, real-time access to patient information, streamlining healthcare delivery. 

EHR also supports care-related activities by aiding in quality management, evidence-based support, and outcomes reporting. It provides doctors with the complete medical history of patients with just one tap ensuring maximum accuracy and efficiency in the treatment. Also, the availability of health records minimises the costs of duplicate tests that can also lead to delayed treatments. Also, the medical records are chronologically and accurately stored, ensuring prompt treatment of the patient. 

Electronic Health Records are a crucial component of India’s Digital Public Infrastructure, aligning with initiatives like the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) to create an integrated digital health ecosystem.

End-to-end is a process that involves the delivery of complex services in a totally functional form from the beginning to the end. It is applicable across various sectors, including IT, and is primarily used during the planning, development, and implementation stages. The end-to-end processes help in optimising the performance of a business and enhance its efficiency by often eliminating the involvement of a middleman. Furthermore, they act as a cost-effective solution, when complex systems and services are involved. 

The end-to-end process can be used to describe a one-time project or an internal process. Even, this concept is used in various other industries apart from the IT sector. One of the notable examples of end-to-end industries outside of the IT sector is logistics. This is applicable when the logistics service provider manages the entire supply chain, including storage, inventory management as well as distribution. However, there are other examples of end-to-end processes as well that will help you understand this concept in depth.

In the context of Digital Public Infrastructure, end-to-end processes are crucial in connecting various phases of digital systems. They ensure the seamless handling and delivery of services, like digital payment interfaces, which are essential for a robust and efficient public digital ecosystem in India.

ePension is an electronic pension management system that digitizes and streamlines pension processing and disbursement for government employees and retirees. The system has been implemented across various Indian states to transform the traditional paper-based pension administration into an efficient digital workflow.

Key features include:

• Online application submission and tracking

• Real-time status updates

• Automated pension calculations

• Electronic disbursement of benefits

• Digital document management

• 24/7 accessibility through web portals

Several states have successfully implemented ePension systems, including:

West Bengal: For grant-in-aid college employees

Himachal Pradesh: Serving 1.5 lakh pensioners across 14 district treasuries

Kerala: Comprehensive pensioner portal with integrated services

ePension exemplifies India's digital public infrastructure by creating an integrated platform that connects various stakeholders in the pension ecosystem. The system leverages existing digital infrastructure like payment gateways and authentication systems to ensure secure, efficient pension administration while promoting transparency and reducing processing times. This integration demonstrates how digital infrastructure can transform traditional government services into streamlined, user-centric solutions.

e-Pramaan is India's National e-Authentication service that provides a unified Single Sign-On (SSO) platform for accessing government services securely across mobile and web platforms. Developed by C-DAC, it offers multi-factor authentication using passwords, OTP, digital certificates, and biometrics.

The platform operates through four authentication levels:

• Level 0: No authentication for public information

• Level 1: Basic username/password

• Level 2: Two-factor authentication

• Level 3: Digital certificate authentication

• Level 4: Biometric authentication

Key features include:

• SAML 2.0 based Single Sign-On

• Aadhaar and PAN-based identity verification

• Encrypted information sharing

• Support for multiple technologies (Java, .Net, PHP)

e-Pramaan serves as a crucial component of India's digital public infrastructure by providing standardized authentication services across government platforms. Its integration with Aadhaar and ability to consolidate various identity documents under a single digital profile demonstrates how digital infrastructure can enhance security while simplifying access to government services. The platform's role in enabling trusted digital transactions supports India's broader digital transformation goals.

The Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY) introduced DigiLocker as a flagship initiative under the Digital India programme. The primary aim behind this initiative was ‘Digital Empowerment’ implying that people can get access to a citizen’s authentic documents from their digital document wallet. DigiLocker is a platform for issuance and verification of documents and certificates in a digital way, eliminating the need for physical documents.

To add an eSign to documents in DigiLocker, users can follow these steps:

• Log in to the official DigiLocker portal (https://digilocker.gov.in)
• Click on ‘Issued Documents’ or ‘Uploaded Documents’ depending on the document type
• Select the document to be eSigned
• Click on the eSign icon
• Enter the OTP received on the registered mobile number
• Complete the eSigning process
• Download the eSigned document in PDF format with a digital signature

DigiLocker is a key component of India’s Digital Public Infrastructure, providing a secure and easily accessible platform for digital document storage and verification. 

An eTicket, or electronic ticket, is a paperless method of ticket entry, processing, and marketing for companies in various sectors, including airlines, railways, and other transport and entertainment industries.

eTickets are available for transportation by bus, air, or train, as well as for events like concerts and movies. They allow passengers to pass security checks and board transportation or attend events without a physical ticket.

To book an eTicket for Indian Railways, users can visit the official IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation) website or use their mobile app.

After booking, users can download the PDF version of the ticket to show during entry. For Indian Railways, there is no need to take a printout of the e-ticket before travelling.

eTickets are an integral part of India’s Digital Public Infrastructure, facilitating paperless transactions and enhancing the efficiency of ticketing systems across various sectors.

Farmer ID is a unique digital identity for farmers, similar to Aadhaar, designed as part of the Agristack initiative under India’s Digital Agriculture Mission.

It links them to their profile and contains details of all the agricultural schemes that they have availed, land records, livestock ownership, and crops sown. 

The government aims to create digital identities for 11 crore farmers by FY 2026-27, with 6 crores to be covered in FY 2024-25, 3 crores in FY 2025-26, and the remaining 2 crores in FY 2026-27.

Creating a farmer ID can provide them with a plethora of benefits. These include verification through e-Know Your Farmer, eliminating the need for physical document submission, availability of customised advice, simplified access to information regarding crop damage, and easier verification for loans, insurance, etc. 

Farmers can register for Farmer ID through:

• Kisan Call Centre (toll-free number 1800-180-1551)
• Web registration on the mKisan portal
• SMS registration (by sending an SMS to 51969 or 7738299899)
• Submitting details to extension workers

There are various ways in which farmers can register themselves in the official mKisan portal. All they will have to do is navigate to the portal and choose the ways of registration. These can include Kisan call centre registration, web registration, registration through SMS, and submitting details to extension workers so they can complete the registration of farmers on their behalf. Once done, they will have to submit some essential documents to complete the registration process and generate the farmer ID. 

Farmer ID is a crucial component of AgriStack, designed as a farmer-centric Digital Public Infrastructure for agriculture, aiming to enhance productivity, efficiency, and sustainability in the sector.

Faster Payment System or FPS is a type of payment mode that offers real-time or near real-time access to funds to the payee. It is available 24/7, ensuring that people can transfer money to any bank account across the globe in no time. In India, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is a prominent example of a Faster Payment System. 

It facilitates simplified inter-bank transfer of funds and sends confirmation within a minute to the originator as well as the receiver. The current shift in the market dynamics towards digitised payments has put FPS at the centre of the global payments industry. 

The top five countries that have adopted FPS are from Asia and America, and one of the notable names among them is India. FPS is popular for instant payments and faster FI-to-FI settlement. Owing to their attributes, they have gained immense popularity among the users. However, users should note that the transactions made using FPS are irrevocable, that is, they cannot be reversed once processed. 

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) operates UPI, which has gained immense popularity among Indian users for instant payments and faster bank-to-bank settlements.

UPI is a key component of India’s Digital Public Infrastructure, contributing significantly to the country’s digital payment ecosystem and financial inclusion efforts

Fund management in India involves overseeing and handling cash flow in various sectors, including mutual funds, alternative investment funds, and portfolio management services. The fund manager’s role is crucial in maximising returns while managing risks.

Fund management applies to both tangible and intangible assets. It primarily involves operating, maintaining, deploying, disposing, and updating assets in a cost-effective manner to maximise profits. 

It is imperative for a fund manager to pay close attention to risks and costs to identify and leverage cash flow opportunities. People should note that fund management can be divided into four industries. These include the financial investment industry, business and enterprise industry, infrastructure industry, and public sector. Usually, fund management is restricted to use in financial management and investment management only which lie within the financial sector. 

Fund management in India is increasingly leveraging DPI to enhance financial inclusion and productivity gains. This includes the use of digital platforms for investor onboarding, transactions, and portfolio management.

The Group of Twenty (G20) is the premier intergovernmental forum for international economic cooperation. It comprises 19 countries, the European Union, and as of 2023, the African Union. It aims to address major global issues like climate change, financial stability, sustainable development, and so on. The G20 is composed of some of the world’s largest economies and finance ministers, including some of the developing countries and some of the industrialised countries. 

The G20 was organised in the year 1999 when the world economies faced severe crises. However, since 2008, it has convened at least once a year where the heads from each department had to be present. The members included the head of government or state, foreign minister, finance minister, high-ranking officials, the European Commission, and the European Central Bank. Also, there are international organisations and non-profit organisations who have been invited to join the summit. 

India held the G20 Presidency from December 1, 2022, to November 30, 2023, with the theme “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” or “One Earth, One Family, One Future”.

The G20 members represent around 85% of global GDP, over 75% of global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.

India’s G20 priorities included:

• Green Development, Climate Finance & Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE)
• Accelerated, Inclusive & Resilient Growth
• Accelerating progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• Technological Transformation & Digital Public Infrastructure
• Multilateral Institutions for the 21st century
• Women-led development

India’s G20 Presidency highlighted the importance of Digital Public Infrastructure in achieving sustainable development goals and fostering inclusive growth.

GST Suvidha Provider or GSP  is an authorised intermediary approved by the Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN) to facilitate GST compliance for taxpayers in India. They develop applications that connect users to the GST system through secure APIs. They are assigned the task of providing various convenient and innovative methods to taxpayers and other stakeholders so that they can seamlessly interact with the GST system. This platform simplifies various tasks for taxpayers such as registration of ventures, filing GST returns, and so on. 

GSPs play a crucial role in India’s GST ecosystem by:

• Simplifying GST compliance for businesses
• Providing innovative solutions for taxpayer interaction with the GST system
• Offering real-time data validation and error checking

Common Services Centers (CSCs) have also been designated as GSPs, particularly to assist rural businesses with GST compliance.

Usually, the entire interaction can be divided into two layers, one between the GSP and the GST system and the other between the taxpayer and the GSP. Also, there can be another type of interaction where the data is directly extracted from the GSP-GST server. The primary aim behind the introduction of GSP is that it can play a crucial role in establishing an open and transparent framework. This motivates enterprises and taxpayers to stay compliant with GST guidelines and reap the maximum benefit. 

GSPs are an integral part of India’s digital tax infrastructure, contributing to the broader goal of digitising government services and improving ease of doing business.

The Indian government launched the Health and Wellness Centre (HWC) initiative in 2018 as part of the Ayushman Bharat program. The program aimed to transform existing Primary Health Centres and Sub Centres into 1,50,000 Health and Wellness Centres across the country. As of July 2024, this goal has been surpassed with 1,73,881 operational centers.

Service Delivery

These centers, now known as Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, deliver Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC) through 12 essential service packages. They provide preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative care services to communities. The services extend far beyond basic maternal and childcare to include:

• Non-communicable disease management

• Mental health services

• Emergency medical services

• Eye and ENT care

• Dental health services

• First-level trauma care

• Free essential medications

• Diagnostic services

• Impact and Achievement

The centers have demonstrated significant impact with:

• 317.34 crore total patient visits

• 84.28 crore hypertension screenings

• 74.18 crore diabetes screenings

• 26.39 crore teleconsultations completed

Community Wellness

The centers actively promote community wellness through:

• Regular yoga sessions

• Health education programs

• Lifestyle modification guidance

• Preventive health screenings

• Cancer screening programs, including oral, breast, and cervical cancer detection

These centers serve as the foundation of India's public healthcare system, ensuring universal access to quality healthcare services while emphasizing preventive and promotive health practices.

The transformation of Health & Wellness Centres represents a crucial intersection of healthcare delivery and digital public infrastructure, exemplifying how India's digital transformation is revolutionizing public service delivery through integration with foundational digital systems like Aadhaar, UPI, and ABDM.

Health Facility Registry is an initiative under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, that offers a comprehensive repository of health facilities to the citizens of India. People across the country can access these facilities ranging from traditional to modern medicine systems. The initiative encompasses private as well as public health facilities such as clinics, hospitals, diagnostic laboratories, imaging centres, pharmacies, etc. 

To register for the Health Facility Registry, a person will need to visit its official website. Next, they will have to register using KYC and search for their nearby facilities. After that, they will need to fill out the registration form using accurate details, and then review and submit it. Some of the benefits of HFR include a unique and trustable identity, availability of various unified digital services, enhanced online presence and discoverability, and ease of doing business.

The Health Facility Registry (HFR) is a crucial component of India's digital public infrastructure (DPI) under ABDM, serving as a comprehensive database that enables healthcare facilities to connect with the national digital health ecosystem. 

As part of the DPI maintained by National Health Authority (NHA), it works alongside other components like Health Information Exchange - Consent Manager (HIE-CM), Unified Health Interface (UHI), and National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX) to facilitate interoperable exchange of health services and records within the ecosystem.

This is an innovative initiative under the National Health Authority, wherein professionals as well as health facilities can register themselves to get various benefits. The Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR) is a comprehensive repository of verified and registered doctors. It involves various systems of medicine such as Modern medicine, Dentistry, Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, and Homeopathy). Even nurses can register themselves under this initiative. 

Healthcare professionals are empowered by the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) through their Healthcare professional ID so they can become a part of India’s digital health ecosystem. Interested people can visit the official website to register themselves under this scheme. All they will have to do is link their KYC details, fill out the registration form, and finally submit it. Upon doing so they can reap benefits like a unique and trustable identity, unified digital services, online presence and discoverability, teleconsultation, and so on.  

As of April 2023, more than 160,000 healthcare professionals have registered in the HPR. 

The Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR) is a foundational digital public infrastructure (DPI) component of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, creating a standardized national database of verified healthcare professionals that enables digital health service delivery. It integrates with other DPI building blocks like Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) and Health Facility Registry (HFR) to facilitate secure, interoperable healthcare transactions across India's digital health ecosystem.

World Bank Group's Identification for Development (ID4D) Initiative was introduced with the aim of harnessing cross-sectoral and global knowledge. The partners of World Bank financing instruments, help countries realise the transformational potential of identification systems. The objective of setting this initiative is to ensure that all people globally (including India) can access enhanced services that lead to better economic opportunities in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. The units of ID4D are primarily associated with digital development, social protection, health, financial inclusion, governance, gender, data protection, and so on. The initiative operates through three main pillars: Thought Leadership & Analytics, Global Public Goods and Convening, and Country & Regional Action. Currently, approximately 850 million people globally lack official ID, and 3.3 billion do not have access to digital ID for online transactions.

ID4D aligns closely with India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) approach, particularly through its support of foundational digital ID systems like Aadhaar, which has become a global model for digital identification. The initiative's principles of inclusive, trusted, and interoperable digital ID systems mirror India's DPI strategy of leveraging digital identification for public service delivery and economic participation.

The government introduced Karmayogi Bharat on 31st January 2022 under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013 to manage iGOT Karmayogi platform. This platform took active participation in transforming India’s civil service capacity. It aimed to develop a robust digital learning ecosystem such that the officials are at par with all the latest technologies that would keep them future-ready. The mission of this platform was to provide online guidance to professionals in the form of active learning, hosting discussions, managing careers, and conducting reliable assessments to showcase officials’ competency effectively.

The primary functions of the iGOT Karmayogi platform include designing and implementing a digital platform and infrastructure, creating, buying, and curating content, managing and owning IPR of all assets, managing and delivering proctored assessment services, complying with the relevant guidelines, providing various crucial information to DoPT, and so on. There are several renowned board members and popular partners associated with this initiative.

The India Digital Ecosystem for Agriculture (IDEA) initiative is mostly accurately described, but requires some corrections and updates:

The India Digital Ecosystem for Agriculture or IDEA is a government-launched initiative that allows farmers in the agricultural system to leverage open digital technologies. It serves as a framework for creating a federated farmers' database called 'Agristack'. The database contains essential digital and land details about farmers and is cross-linked with the Aadhaar databases. It extracts data from various schemes such as PM Kisan, soil health cards, and the PM Fasal Bima Yojna, to maintain a comprehensive record.

The platform aims to enable proactive and personalized services to farmers through various stakeholders. The data helps in uniquely identifying landholders, understanding soil conditions, knowing landholding extent, analyzing cropping patterns, and accessing other granular details. The primary objectives include developing an 'Agri-stack', fostering innovation through collaboration, improving governance delivery, enabling evidence-based policymaking, and ultimately contributing to the goal of doubling farmers' income. The initiative is being implemented under the Digital Agriculture Mission with a total outlay of ₹2,817 Crore, announced in the Union Budget 2024-25.

The IDEA framework represents a crucial Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) initiative in agriculture, creating a standardized ecosystem that enables seamless integration of various agricultural services, from credit and insurance to market access, all powered by digital technology and data analytics.

India Stack acts as a moniker for digital public goods and a complete set of open APIs. It aims to unlock the economic primitives of data, identity, and payments. Although the initiative is named 'India' Stack, the scope of this project is not limited to a single country. Different nations, be it an underprivileged country or a developed country, can adopt this innovative initiative. However, since this project was first developed and implemented in India, it is primarily referred to as the India Stack.

India has witnessed the rapid adoption of this concept among businesses as well as billions of other individuals. This initiative has helped in the promotion of social and financial inclusion, preparing the citizens for the Internet Age. The initiative has enabled India to achieve financial inclusion for 80% of the population in 6 years, compared to a projected timeline of 46 years. Furthermore, the India Stack initiative has achieved significant milestones in digital transactions and identity verification. Several countries including Sri Lanka, Morocco, the Philippines, Guinea, Ethiopia, and the Togolese Republic have already started using India Stack technologies, while Tunisia, Samoa, Uganda, and Nigeria have shown interest.

The International Monetary Fund has endorsed this initiative, noting that other emerging market and developing economies could learn from India's experience.

Today, about 1.2 billion people are part of this initiative. Furthermore, the India Stack initiative involves 67 billion digital identity verification, 14.05 trillion INR value of real-time mobile payments, 8.6 billion mobile payments, and 10 operational account aggregators.

ICT or Information and communications technology includes a broad range of technologies that can help you create, store, transmit, share, and exchange information. The older versions of technologies available under this include telephone and television. However, the newer versions include the Internet and mobile phones. Furthermore, ICT also includes networking systems, digital cameras, online media, and telecommunications. Even, they refer to the convergence of media technology that involves audio-visual technology with computer networks and telephone networks. 

Information and communications technology is used in various places like homes, offices, schools, and so on. In case of businesses, it helps in marketing and sales, by promoting various products in front of customers. In addition to this, ICT can also aid in the protection of the environment by ensuring an efficient communication system and building a robust infrastructure. To build a career in Information and communications technology, it is essential for individuals they enroll in the right course, gain certification, and gather adequate work experience.

ICT serves as the foundational layer for Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), enabling essential digital systems for identity verification, payment processing, and data exchange. The integration of ICT within DPI frameworks allows for secure, scalable, and interoperable digital services that can transform public service delivery and promote digital inclusion.

The Integrated Tax Administration System (ITAS) in India represents a transformative shift in the country’s approach to tax management and administration. Conceived to address inefficiencies in the traditional tax collection processes, ITAS leverages advanced technology to unify and streamline various tax-related functions. This comprehensive system integrates multiple tax modules, including registration, filing, assessment, and payment, into a single, cohesive platform. By automating these processes, ITAS minimizes manual intervention, reduces paperwork, and accelerates the tax administration cycle. 

The system enhances transparency and accuracy, allowing for real-time tracking of tax obligations and compliance status. Additionally, ITAS employs data analytics to improve decision-making and policy formulation, providing valuable insights into tax trends and taxpayer behaviour. For taxpayers, ITAS simplifies interactions with the tax authorities, offering a user-friendly interface for filing returns and making payments. For tax administrators, it provides robust tools for monitoring and enforcement, reducing the scope for evasion and fraud. Overall, ITAS not only boosts operational efficiency but also fosters greater trust and reliability in India’s tax system, aligning with the broader goals of economic modernisation and digital governance.

ITAS exemplifies how digital public infrastructure (DPI) transforms government services through digital solutions. As part of India's broader digital public infrastructure (DPI) framework, ITAS contributes to improved governance and service delivery. The system aligns with DPI principles by providing an open, interoperable platform that enables efficient public service delivery while promoting transparency and accountability in tax administration.

Located opposite Infosys gate 1, Electronics City Phase 1, Hosur Road, IIIT-Bangalore is a deemed-to-be university in the de-novo category under Section 3 of the UGC Act. The institute received the prestigious 12B status from UGC on August 5, 2024, marking a significant milestone in its journey. 

The institute has established itself as a leader in digital innovation, particularly through its MOSIP (Modular Open Source Identity Platform) project, which serves as a core component of global Digital Public Infrastructure and has been adopted by 20 countries, registering over 110 million residents. Within a short span of time, IIIT-Bangalore has garnered immense popularity among learners due to its broad academic philosophy, emphasis on research, practice-oriented learning, entrepreneurial support, global exchange opportunity, and excellent peer group. 

The JAM trinity (Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile) represents a transformative initiative by the Indian government to link bank accounts, biometric identification, and mobile connectivity for efficient delivery of public services and subsidies. This digital framework comprises three essential pillars: Jan Dhan zero-balance bank accounts for universal financial access, Aadhaar for unique biometric identification, and mobile technology for seamless service delivery.

The system has achieved remarkable milestones since its inception in 2014, with approximately 470 million Jan Dhan accounts opened, of which 261 million belong to women account holders. The initiative has dramatically accelerated financial inclusion, raising the rate from 25% in 2008 to over 80% of adults in just six years – a journey that would have otherwise taken nearly five decades.

JAM's implementation has revolutionized subsidy delivery through Direct Benefit Transfers (DBTs), eliminating intermediaries and reducing leakages. The system enables precise beneficiary identification through Aadhaar, facilitates direct transfers to Jan Dhan accounts, and ensures communication of successful transfers through mobile connectivity. This has transformed various government schemes, including PAHAL for LPG subsidies, pension schemes, and insurance programs1.

JAM serves as a cornerstone of India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), demonstrating how integrated digital systems can transform public service delivery. As a fundamental component of DPI, JAM exemplifies the principles of open, interoperable systems that enable efficient government-to-citizen interactions while promoting financial inclusion and digital transformation24. This model has become a noteworthy case study for developing nations seeking to revolutionize their digital financial inclusion and social benefit delivery systems.

Jan Ki Baat represents an innovative approach to data collection where AI-powered bots initiate conversations with citizens, reversing the traditional chatbot paradigm. Instead of citizens querying the system, intelligent bots engage people in meaningful dialogue to gather insights at scale.

The system operates through multiple channels, utilizing advanced AI capabilities to conduct natural conversations. These bots are designed to ask intelligent questions, record responses, and integrate natural voice and native language processing. The collected data is then transcribed, analyzed, and securely stored on cloud servers, ensuring data privacy and ethical handling of citizen information.

This automated system enables comprehensive data analysis by processing vast amounts of interactions to identify patterns and trends in public opinion. The platform's capabilities include sentiment analysis, pattern recognition in public concerns, and tracking of citizen responses to various initiatives. Through natural language processing and automated analytics, the system can process free-form responses from millions of citizens in real-time, providing valuable insights for policy-making and public service improvement.

Jan Ki Baat exemplifies the evolution of India's Digital Public Infrastructure by introducing an innovative citizen engagement platform. As part of the broader DPI ecosystem, it demonstrates how automated systems can facilitate large-scale citizen participation while maintaining data privacy and security standards. The platform leverages DPI principles of scalability and interoperability to enable efficient data collection and analysis, contributing to data-driven governance and policy formulation.

Jugalbandi is a free and open platform that combines the power of Generative AI and Indian language translation models under the Bhashini mission. The platform's primary focus is on enabling conversational AI solutions in over 50 Indian languages, breaking through language and interaction barriers.

The platform currently powers various practical applications across different sectors. Through integration with MyScheme.gov.in, it enables WhatsApp and Telegram chatbots that provide information about 121 government schemes in 10 Indian languages. In the legal domain, Jugalbandi-based applications like JIVA (Judges Virtual Assistant) and JAGRIT (Justice Access for Grievance Redressal using Intelligent Technology) help democratize access to legal information3.

The platform's effectiveness lies in its user-centric approach, meeting citizens where they are by leveraging widely used platforms like WhatsApp. This approach ensures low barriers to entry, particularly benefiting users with limited literacy skills who can interact through voice messages. The system has gained international recognition, with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella highlighting its impact in rural India.

Jugalbandi exemplifies India's Digital Public Infrastructure approach by providing an open, accessible platform that bridges digital divides. As part of the Bhashini mission, it contributes to building a National Public Digital platform for languages, enabling MSMEs, startups, and innovators to develop inclusive digital services in native languages. This aligns with DPI's core principle of creating open, interoperable systems that enhance public service delivery while ensuring accessibility for all citizens.

Kochi Open Mobility Network (KOMN) launched in July 2021 represents the world's first open mobility network, implemented under the Kochi Metropolitan Transport Authority (KMTA). The initiative aims to create an integrated, interoperable public transport network that connects multiple modes of transportation including taxis, metros, buses, and water transport.

The network operates through multiple applications, with Yatri App and Stayhalo Telegram bot serving as the initial consumer interfaces. A key feature of KOMN is its driver-friendly approach - taxi drivers are not required to pay commissions, and can operate according to government-fixed tariffs without surge pricing. The network has successfully onboarded over 1,200 taxi drivers and involves more than 50 pioneers and 5 government agencies, serving approximately 3 million citizens in Kochi1.

The system utilizes the Beckn Protocol, which consists of APIs, data models, and reference architecture that enable the creation of decentralized networks3. This allows service providers and consumers to discover and transact with each other without requiring a central intermediary. In November 2022, KOMN expanded statewide into the Kerala Open Mobility Network through integration with ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce), further extending its reach and capabilities.

KOMN exemplifies the practical implementation of Digital Public Infrastructure principles through its open, interoperable architecture. Like UPI in financial services, KOMN creates a foundational digital platform that enables seamless integration of various mobility services. The network's integration with ONDC demonstrates how different DPI initiatives can interconnect to create more comprehensive and accessible digital public services. This approach aligns with the core DPI principles of openness, interoperability, and inclusive access to essential services.

Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) are classified by the World Bank based on their Gross National Income (GNI) per capita. For fiscal year 2024, the classifications are:

• Low-income: GNI per capita of $1,135 or less

• Lower middle-income: between $1,136 and $4,465

• Upper middle-income: between $4,466 and $13,8451

These countries represent a significant global presence, housing 75% of the world's population and 62% of the world's poor. While contributing approximately one-third of global GDP, they serve as major engines of global economic growth.

The LMIC classification, however, requires careful consideration as it encompasses 137 countries, representing 63% of nations worldwide. This broad categorization can sometimes lead to oversimplified assumptions about resources, capabilities, and development needs. Many LMICs demonstrate significant innovation and knowledge contribution, despite often being portrayed as primarily recipients of external expertise.

LMICs are increasingly leveraging Digital Public Infrastructure to accelerate development and overcome traditional infrastructure gaps. DPI provides these nations with cost-effective solutions for delivering essential services, enabling them to leapfrog conventional development stages. Through DPI implementation, many LMICs are demonstrating innovative approaches to digital transformation, challenging traditional development paradigms and creating models that even high-income countries can learn from.

Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) refers to a crucial document that is used to outline the agreement between two parties. Generally, it contains mutually accepted conditions that are involved during the negotiation between them. Although not legally valid, they signal a binding contract between the two parties and are mostly found in international relations. A MoU document is an indication for both parties to proceed task with the agreed-upon conditions. This helps them reach a mutually beneficial goal and meet the expectations of each other.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology was formed with the aim of transitioning India into an empowered society and a developed nation. Additionally, it strives to promote inclusivity and sustainable growth in various sectors such as IT & ITeS industries, Electronics, and so on. This approach helps in enhancing the role of India’s internet governance, promoting R&D, developing human resources, and so on. 

The main objectives behind setting up the Ministry of Electronics and Information e-Inclusion Technology were to develop e-Government, e-Innovation, e-Industry, e-Learning, e-Inclusion, e-Security, and Internet governance. Some of the areas where it exercises its functions include framing policies related to technology, promotion of the Internet, assistance to other government departments, and many more. 

Additionally, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology is responsible for offering a variety of services in the form of Accessible India Campaign and Mobile App, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Agrimarket App, BHIM (Bharat Interface For Money), Crop Insurance Mobile App, Crime And Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS), Digital AIIMS, E-Panchayat, E-Granthalaya, and eBiz. 

MeitY serves as the nodal ministry for India's Digital Public Infrastructure initiatives, overseeing the development and implementation of key digital platforms. The ministry's role in developing open, interoperable digital systems has been crucial in creating foundational digital infrastructure that enables efficient service delivery and promotes digital inclusion. Through various initiatives like UMANG, which serves over 50 million users with access to over 1,700 government services, MeitY demonstrates how DPI can transform public service delivery and promote digital empowerment.

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) was established in 1947 and is charged with health policy implementation in India. The ministry currently comprises two departments - Department of Health and Family Welfare and Department of Health Research, each headed by a Secretary to the Government of India.

The ministry operates through several key bodies:

Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS): Provides technical knowledge for public health, medical education, and healthcare. It oversees 19 Regional Offices spread across various state capitals and manages multiple prestigious medical institutions including Lady Hardinge Medical College, Safdarjung Hospital, and the National Centre for Disease Control.

National Health Authority (NHA): Established as an attached office to implement Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana and the National Digital Health Mission.

The ministry's annual budget for 2024-25 is ₹90,658 crore ($11 billion), reflecting its significant role in India's healthcare system.

The ministry plays a crucial role in building India's health-focused Digital Public Infrastructure through the National Digital Health Mission. This initiative creates an integrated digital health infrastructure that connects various healthcare stakeholders through open, interoperable systems. The development of digital health IDs, unified health interfaces, and telemedicine platforms demonstrates how the ministry is leveraging DPI principles to transform healthcare delivery and access across India.

The Modular Open-Source Identity Platform (MOSIP) was established in 2018 at the International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore as a global digital public good to help nations implement foundational ID systems. The platform enables governments to build and own their national identity systems in a cost-effective manner.

Key features of MOSIP include:

Comprehensive standards and specifications for digital identity devices and software development kits.

Strong privacy and security measures including misuse prevention, identity theft prevention, and consent support.

Vendor-neutral and interoperable approach allowing governments to configure systems with high accuracy.

The platform has demonstrated significant impact globally:

Collaboration with 20 countries.

93+ million people registered on MOSIP-based systems

Implementation across nations including Philippines, Morocco, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Ethiopia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, and Togo.

MOSIP exemplifies a crucial component of Digital Public Infrastructure by providing an open-source foundation for digital identity systems. As part of the broader DPI ecosystem, it enables countries to build sovereign, inclusive, and secure digital ID systems without vendor lock-in3. The platform's integration with other DPI components facilitates seamless delivery of public services across healthcare, financial services, and social security, making it a cornerstone of national digital transformation initiatives. 

The Mojaloop Foundation was established in May 2020 as a charitable nonprofit organization, initially supported by Coil, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Google, ModusBox, Omidyar Network, and The Rockefeller Foundation. The foundation's mission is to increase financial inclusion by empowering organizations to create interoperable payment systems that enable digital financial services for all.

The foundation operates through several key initiatives:

• Engaging the global payments community through open source collaboration

• Advancing and maintaining the Mojaloop software

• Growing membership across technical, charitable, and service provider organizations

Mojaloop, named after the Swahili word for "one," serves as a reference model for payment interoperability between services and providers1. The platform operates on eight core principles, including:

• Open-loop interoperability between providers

• Adherence to international financial inclusion standards

• Push payments model with immediate funds transfer

• System-wide shared fraud and security protection

Mojaloop represents a crucial component of Digital Public Infrastructure, recognized by the Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA) for its role in advancing financial inclusion. As part of the broader DPI ecosystem, it enables countries to build sovereign, inclusive payment systems that can help bring 1.4 billion unbanked people into the digital economy. The platform's integration with other DPI components like MOSIP and DHIS2 demonstrates its vital role in building inclusive, secure, and resilient digital systems for emerging economies.

The National Deep Tech Startup Policy (NDTSP) was introduced by the government in July 2023 as a draft policy for public consultation. The initiative was developed under the leadership of Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India.

Deep tech refers to innovations founded on advanced scientific and technological breakthroughs that have the potential to solve complex societal challenges. The policy aims to strengthen India's position in key areas such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and space technology. Currently, according to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), India has over 10,000 deep tech startups out of a total of 117,000 startups.

The policy's vision encompasses:

• Securing India's economic future

• Progressing towards a knowledge-driven economy

• Bolstering national capability through the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative

• Fostering ethical innovation

NDTSP aligns with India's Digital Public Infrastructure initiatives through its focus on emerging technologies. The policy specifically acknowledges the role of digital public infrastructure, advanced data analytics, and technology mission programs in AI and Quantum computings. This integration demonstrates how deep tech startups can contribute to and benefit from India's growing DPI ecosystem, particularly in areas like digital healthcare, genomics, and indigenous technology development.

The National Digital Education Architecture (NDEAR) was announced by the Prime Minister in July 2021 as an architectural blueprint for transforming India's educational ecosystem. Rather than being a platform or software solution, NDEAR provides a framework within which technology can be developed by various stakeholders. The architecture operates on several key principles:

• Unifying but not uniform

• Ecosystem-driven approach

• Unbundled and combinable components

• Federated but interoperable systems

• Open access with open license policies

• Privacy, security and trust by design

NDEAR enables various building blocks including:

• School Management and Attendance Systems

• Mentoring and Counseling Services

• Open Data & Analytics

• Education Network & Cloud

• Education Data Exchange

NDEAR exemplifies India's Digital Public Infrastructure approach in the education sector by creating an open, interoperable digital architecture that enables various stakeholders to build solutions. Like other DPI initiatives, it follows the National Open Digital Ecosystem (NODE) policy, establishing a "Digital Commons" through open standards, APIs, and software licenses. This framework allows both public and private entities to develop educational solutions while ensuring interoperability, security, and scalability across the ecosystem.

The National e-Authentication Framework (NeAF) is a comprehensive framework developed by the Department of Information Technology (DIT), Government of India, to provide uniform electronic authentication mechanisms for government services delivery across internet and mobile platforms.

The framework operates through multiple authentication factors:

• Knowledge (passwords, PINs)

• Possession (security tokens, cards)

• Biometric (fingerprints, retina patterns)

Key objectives include:

• Mitigating identity-related frauds

• Reducing duplication of efforts

• Achieving consistency in authentication approaches

• Creating trust in online government services

• Enabling secure citizen transactions

NeAF serves as a foundational component of India's digital public infrastructure by providing standardized authentication protocols across government services. The framework's integration with various service delivery gateways (NSDG, SSDG, and MSDG) demonstrates how digital infrastructure can enhance service delivery while maintaining security and user trust1. By establishing uniform authentication standards, NeAF supports the broader goal of creating a seamless, secure digital ecosystem for government services.

The ID-Account Mapper is a digital infrastructure component that enables mapping of beneficiary IDs with bank account information, primarily used for government-to-person benefit transfers. This system has been particularly effective through the Jan-Dhan Aadhaar Mobile (JAM) trinity, which serves as a diversion-proof subsidy delivery mechanism.The system's key capabilities include:

• User authentication through trusted digital IDs

• Self-service portal for account information updates

• Standardized APIs for financial address management

• One-to-one mapping of ID to financial address

• Bulk upload functionality for authorized entities

The implementation has shown significant impact through PMJDY (Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana), which has brought 53 crore people into the formal banking system with deposits of Rs. 2.3 lakh crore. This digital infrastructure has enabled direct benefit transfers across various sectors including agriculture, healthcare, education, and social welfare.

The ID-Account Mapper represents a crucial component of India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) ecosystem, functioning as part of the larger India Stack infrastructure. This system has revolutionized financial access by enabling seamless integration between identity verification and banking services. As a DPI component, it demonstrates how digital infrastructure can facilitate efficient government service delivery while ensuring security and reducing leakages in benefit transfers.

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) was established in December 2008 by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Indian Banks' Association (IBA) under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007. It operates as an umbrella organization for retail payments and settlement systems in India. NPCI is incorporated as a "Not for Profit" company under Section 8 of Companies Act 2013 (previously Section 25 of Companies Act 1956), with an authorized capital of ₹3 billion and paid-up capital of ₹1 billion. The organization was initially promoted by ten major banks including State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, Canara Bank, and others, but in 2016, the shareholding was expanded to include additional public sector banks, private sector banks, foreign banks, and cooperative banks.

Key initiatives of NPCI include:

• RuPay: An indigenous payment system for debit, credit, and prepaid cards

• Unified Payments Interface (UPI)

• Bharat Bill Payment System

• National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC)

• National Financial Switch (NFS) 

NPCI serves as a cornerstone of India's Digital Public Infrastructure by providing the technological backbone for digital payments. Through its various platforms, particularly UPI, NPCI has created open, interoperable payment systems that have revolutionized financial transactions in India. The organization has also established NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) to expand these DPI solutions globally, demonstrating how India's digital payment infrastructure can be adapted for international markets. 

The government of India introduced the National Pension System to help the citizens of India to plan for their retirement. Additionally, it serves as a long-term savings option, helping investors with low risk appetite; gather adequate wealth for their future. This is so because the returns from this investment are somewhat stable and not much affected by market fluctuations. Some of the types of subscribers who can benefit from this scheme include individual, government, corporate, NRI, OCI, APY, and GDS. 

To build your retirement plan under the National Pension Scheme, first, you will need to be aware of your retirement needs. Next, understand the power of compounding and start early in age to successfully reach financial goals. Additionally, you need to be consistent in investing, know your account types, and choose your accounting options wisely to make the most out of your investments. 

The system offers several benefits:

• Tax efficiency with benefits under Income Tax Act

• Portability across employment and locations

• Low-cost pension scheme

• Market-linked returns based on investment choices

• Several pension fund managers to choose from

NPS leverages India's digital infrastructure through integration with key DPI components like Aadhaar and DigiLocker for easy registration and account management. The system demonstrates how DPI enables efficient pension service delivery through digital onboarding, seamless contributions, and transparent account management. This integration showcases the role of digital infrastructure in making pension systems more accessible and user-friendly while ensuring security and portability.

Protean eGov Technologies (formerly NSDL e-Governance Infrastructure) serves as one of the three authorized Central Recordkeeping Agencies (CRAs) for the National Pension System, alongside CAMS and KFin Technologies. As a CRA, Protean manages critical NPS functions including subscriber registration, PRAN issuance, record digitization and maintenance, contribution monitoring, and transaction statement generation. The company provides operational interfaces and online access for subscribers to manage their NPS accounts, while also handling the unitization of contributions made to PRAN accounts. Additionally, Protean maintains a dedicated call center to support NPS subscribers with their queries and service requirements. Learn how to invest in NPS online and offline - visit Protean's guide to NPS contributions.

Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) are financial institutions registered under the Companies Act that provide banking services without holding a banking license. While they offer various financial services, they cannot accept demand deposits or issue cheques drawn on themselves.

NBFCs serve crucial functions in India's financial ecosystem including:

• Retail financing through loans against gold, shares, and property

• Infrastructure funding for projects like railways, metros, and real estate

• Trade finance and working capital solutions

• Asset management and venture capital services

• Leasing and hire-purchase services

Their significance is demonstrated by their 12.60% contribution to India's GDP in 2023. NBFCs complement traditional banks by meeting growing financial needs of the corporate sector and providing credit to unorganized and small local borrowers. They play a vital role in employment generation, credit facilitation, transportation, and wealth creation in rural areas.

NBFCs are increasingly leveraging India's Digital Public Infrastructure to transform their operations and service delivery. The integration with DPI has enabled NBFCs to implement AI/ML-driven lending models, enhance customer acquisition through digital KYC, and provide seamless customer service through digital channels. This digital transformation, supported by DPI, has helped NBFCs improve their operational efficiency and expand their reach to underserved segments, particularly MSMEs.

NPS CRA

The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) was launched in 2021 by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) as a non-profit Section 8 company to democratize digital commerce. The initiative aims to transition from a platform-centric model to an open network for buying and selling goods and services.

Key features of ONDC include:

• Open protocols for digital commerce operations

• Interoperable network connecting buyers and sellers across platforms

• Standardized operations for cataloging, inventory, and order management

• Support for small businesses through reduced entry barriers

• Direct seller-consumer connections without intermediaries

The platform offers several benefits:

• Enhanced competition through level playing field

• Reduced operational costs for businesses

• Improved product discovery for consumers

• Hyperlocal delivery options

• Transparent pricing and operations

ONDC exemplifies India's Digital Public Infrastructure approach by creating an open, interoperable infrastructure similar to UPI in payments. As a critical component of India's digital public infrastructure, ONDC aims to democratize e-commerce by providing standardized protocols and open networks. The platform demonstrates how DPI can transform entire sectors by enabling seamless integration between various stakeholders while promoting inclusivity and innovation in digital commerce.

Protean eGov Technologies (formerly NSDL e-Governance Infrastructure) has developed multiple critical solutions for ONDC, including the Recon & Settlement Product (RSP) in partnership with NPCI Bharat BillPay's NOCS platform. The RSP enables secure, transparent, and seamless fund settlements on the ONDC platform through a decentralized framework that eliminates manual reconciliation efforts. Additionally, Protean serves as an ONDC technology service provider facilitating credit availability for last-mile borrowers through partnerships like the one with PayNearby's Distribution as a Service network. The company's involvement demonstrates its commitment to building digital public infrastructure solutions, with the RSP being adopted by multiple participants including Kotak Bank App, Spice Money, and various other sellers and buyers on the ONDC network.

As a founding member, Protean continues to launch innovative products and interventions on ONDC since the network's inception, demonstrating its commitment to building digital public infrastructure at scale.

One Future Alliance (OFA) was introduced by India in June 2023 as a voluntary initiative that brings together like-minded countries to shape the future of Digital Public Infrastructure. The alliance aims to enable countries to utilize current open-source, customizable technology stacks and build solutions for themselves and the rest of the world1.

Key objectives of OFA include:

• Unifying global efforts in shaping secure and interoperable digital public infrastructure

• Enabling countries, especially from low and middle-income brackets, to leverage technology for improved governance

• Addressing cybersecurity challenges through international cooperation

• Promoting digital skilling and reducing the digital divide

The alliance has already demonstrated practical impact through India's signing of memorandums of understanding with Armenia, Sierra Leone, and Suriname for sharing successful digital solutions implemented at population scale.

OFA serves as a cornerstone in the global DPI ecosystem by creating a multi-stakeholder platform that drives development, inclusion, and innovation. Working with support from UNDP and other knowledge partners, the alliance acts as an organizational hub to harmonize various DPI initiatives across governmental, private, academic, and civil sectors. This collaborative approach helps address funding challenges for DPI projects in developing nations while ensuring the creation of secure, interoperable digital infrastructure systems.

Open Cloud Compute (OCC) is an open network initiative that aims to democratize access to scalable, secure, and affordable compute infrastructure1. The platform represents a significant shift in cloud computing, bringing compute power closer to users through a network of interoperable micro data centers.

Key features of OCC include:

• Network of 10,000 micro data centers planned across India

• Partnership with 24 major technology organizations including AMD, Oracle, and Dell Technologies

• Support for diverse workloads including AI, machine learning, and high-performance computing

• Focus on local needs and data sovereignty

The platform enables various compute providers to unite on a single network, enhancing their discoverability and utilization. This approach aims to break away from the current dominance of a few large data centers, making compute resources more accessible and tailored to specific local requirements.

OCC exemplifies the DPI approach to democratizing compute access at scale. As compute becomes the "fourth essential utility" alongside electricity, water, and internet services, OCC's infrastructure plays a crucial role in India's digital transformation. The platform's integration with the broader DPI ecosystem enables it to support the growing demands of AI and digitalization while ensuring equitable access to compute resources across the country.

The Open Credit Enablement Network (OCEN) was launched at the Global Fintech Festival 2020 as a framework of APIs aimed at revolutionizing India's credit landscape. It serves as a standardized platform that enables seamless interaction between borrowers, lenders, and financial service providers.

Key stakeholders in the OCEN ecosystem include:

• Loan Service Providers (LSPs): Digital platforms offering credit services

• Technology Service Providers (TSPs): Fintech organizations facilitating integration

• Lenders: Banks, NBFCs, and other financial institutions

• Borrowers: Primarily MSMEs and individuals seeking credit

The platform operates through a framework of APIs that enables:

• Custom creation of loan products

• Digital credit solutions

• Seamless integration between stakeholders

• Standardized communication protocols

OCEN represents a crucial component of India's DPI ecosystem, building upon the foundation laid by India Stack. As part of the larger digital public infrastructure, OCEN democratizes credit access by creating an open, interoperable network that enables embedded finance solutions. This integration with DPI has transformed the lending landscape by allowing non-financial platforms to become fintech-enabled marketplaces, ultimately promoting financial inclusion and economic growth.

Open Digital Networks are decentralized, interoperable technology infrastructures that enable seamless exchange of information and services across different platforms. In India, these networks are built on open-source methodologies, using open specifications and protocols independent of specific platforms.

Key examples include:

• UPI for digital payments

• ONDC for e-commerce

• Account Aggregator framework for financial data sharing

• Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission for healthcare

These networks share common characteristics:

• Platform-agnostic architecture

• Open protocols and specifications

• Decentralized operations

• Public digital infrastructure framework

• Standardized operations

Open Digital Networks represent India's innovative approach to building digital public infrastructure that promotes inclusivity and accessibility. By creating interoperable networks that connect various stakeholders through standardized protocols, these systems democratize access to digital services while reducing monopolistic control. The success of initiatives like UPI and ONDC demonstrates how open networks can transform entire sectors by enabling seamless interactions between participants while maintaining security and efficiency at scale.

The Open Network for Education and Skilling Transformation (ONEST) was launched by EkStep Foundation and backed by ONDC as India's first open network for education and skilling. The platform aims to create a fair, accessible, and decentralized ecosystem that connects various stakeholders in the education and employment sectors.

The network focuses on four key areas:

• Learning Experiences: Content, courses, and training services

• Financial Support: Scholarships, grants, and CSR funds

• Work Opportunities: Jobs, internships, and gig work

• Expert Connect: Mentorship, coaching, and tutoring

ONEST aims to multiply opportunities available to students and professionals by 5-10x over the next 5 years while reducing friction in processes. The platform has already demonstrated success through its inaugural transaction between Namma Yatri and Protean Vidyasaarthi, where an autopreneur's daughter secured a merit scholarship.

ONEST represents a significant extension of India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) ecosystem, following the success of ONDC's model. Built on the Beckn protocol, it demonstrates how DPI principles can transform education and skilling by creating an open, interoperable network that connects diverse stakeholders. The platform exemplifies the evolution from platform-centric approaches to open networks, enabling seamless collaboration between government, private sector, and civil society organizations.

OpenCRVS is an open-source digital solution for civil registration, specifically designed for low-resource settings and available as a Digital Public Good. The platform was developed by Plan International to provide countries with a freely available option for CRVS digitization aligned with UN standards.

Key features of OpenCRVS include:

• No license fees or vendor lock-in

• Safe and secure data protection

• Full interoperability with government systems

• Functionality in low-connectivity environments

• User-friendly interface designed for CRVS users

The system addresses critical challenges in civil registration, noting that 1 in 4 children under age 5 have not had their birth registered. OpenCRVS enables governments to capture, store, and manage sensitive vital events data including births, marriages, adoptions, divorces, and deaths.

OpenCRVS exemplifies the evolution of Digital Public Infrastructure by providing essential services for civil registration as a digital public good. The platform integrates with other DPI components such as MOSIP for digital identity management, G2P Connect for payment schemes, and DHIS2 for health outcomes. This integration demonstrates how DPI can transform fundamental government services while ensuring accessibility, security, and interoperability across systems.

The Output Outcome Monitoring Framework (OOMF) is a reform initiative launched in 2017 that shifts governance from measuring physical and financial progress to outcome-based monitoring. The framework covers over 600 Central Sector and Centrally Sponsored Schemes across 67 Ministries/Departments, involving nearly 6,000 indicators.

OOMF strengthens accountability between the executive and legislative branches by clearly defining measurable targets for government expenditure. The framework monitors approximately 40% of the Central Government's expenditure budget (Rs. 14.33 lakh crores out of Rs. 34.83 lakh crores in 2021-2022). Through its IT-enabled performance tracking system, over 300 scheme divisions report progress on more than 5,000 indicators.

Key features include:

• Comprehensive monitoring of scheme objectives through measurable indicators

• Annual target setting for outputs and outcomes

• Integration with budgetary processes

• User-friendly online dashboard for monitoring progress

OOMF exemplifies how digital public infrastructure (DPI) can transform governance by enabling real-time monitoring and data-driven decision-making. The framework's integration with digital systems helps build next-generation administrative data infrastructure by identifying crucial datasets and measurement needs. This alignment with DPI principles promotes transparency, accountability, and efficiency in public service delivery while supporting evidence-based policy-making.

People+AI, an initiative by the EkStep Foundation, is a community of innovators, developers, and dreamers focused on harnessing AI's potential for societal benefit. The organization operates through four fundamental pillars: discovering AI use cases, building infrastructure and public goods, fostering collaboration, and disseminating knowledge.

The initiative focuses on creating population-scale AI solutions through various projects including:

• Open Cloud Compute (OCC) for democratizing compute access

• JOHNAIC, a personal AI server solution reducing AI costs by 85%

• Support for regional language AI implementations through partnerships with startups like Sarvam.ai and STAGE

People+ai exemplifies the evolution of Digital Public Infrastructure by incorporating AI capabilities into existing digital infrastructure. The organization works on creating an adaptive, efficient, and user-centric ecosystem that transforms static DPI frameworks into dynamic systems. Through initiatives like the Open Cloud Compute network, it contributes to building next-generation digital infrastructure that makes AI capabilities accessible and affordable for businesses and startups across India.

Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) was launched on September 23, 2018, in Ranchi, Jharkhand as the world's largest health assurance scheme. The program aims to provide health coverage of ₹5,00,000 per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization to over 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families (approximately 50 crore beneficiaries) that form the bottom 40% of India's population.

The scheme has recently expanded its coverage to include all senior citizens aged 70 and above, regardless of their income level, benefiting an additional 4.5 crore families including 6 crore senior citizens3. The program is fully funded by the government, with implementation costs shared between Central and State governments.

Key features include:

• Comprehensive coverage for hospitalization expenses

• Daycare surgeries and follow-up care

• Pre and post-hospitalization benefits

• Cashless treatment at empaneled hospitals nationwide

AB PM-JAY leverages India's digital public infrastructure through its IT platform that enables seamless beneficiary identification, hospital empanelment, and claim processing. The scheme's integration with digital health IDs and its interoperable systems demonstrate how DPI can transform healthcare delivery by ensuring transparent, efficient, and accessible health services for millions of citizens. 

The Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) was launched on August 28, 2014, as a National Mission on Financial Inclusion. The scheme aims to provide universal access to banking facilities with at least one basic banking account for every household, along with access to credit, insurance, pension, and remittance facilities.

Key achievements of PMJDY include:

• Over 50.09 crore accounts opened as of August 2023

• 55.6% (27.82 crore) account holders are women

• 66.7% (33.45 crore) accounts in rural and semi-urban areas

• Total deposits exceeding Rs. 2.03 lakh crore

The scheme offers several benefits:

• Zero balance account opening

• RuPay debit card with Rs. 2 lakh accident insurance coverage

• Rs. 5,000 overdraft facility for Aadhaar-linked accounts

• Access to mobile banking and Core Banking System (CBS)

PMJDY serves as a cornerstone of India's digital financial infrastructure, enabling Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and digital payments at scale. The scheme's integration with other DPI components like Aadhaar and UPI has created a robust framework for financial inclusion, demonstrating how digital infrastructure can transform access to banking services. During the pandemic, this digital backbone enabled swift transfer of benefits to over 20 crore women PMJDY account holders, showcasing the effectiveness of DPI in crisis response.

The Public Financial Management System (PFMS) is a web-based online software application developed and implemented by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA), Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance. Initially launched in 2009 to track funds under Plan schemes, it has evolved into a comprehensive platform for end-to-end digital payments, receipts, accounting, and financial reporting.

Key features of PFMS include:

• Real-time monitoring of fund utilization across government schemes

• Integration with state treasuries and core banking solutions

• Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) facilitation

• Accounting of tax and non-tax receipts

• Compilation of accounts and fiscal reporting

PFMS serves as a robust IT platform for effective cash management through "Just in Time" fund transfers and complete tracking from release to final beneficiary credit.

PFMS exemplifies India's digital financial infrastructure approach by providing a unified digital platform for public financial management. As part of the Digital India initiative, it creates an efficient payment and accounting network that enables transparent, accountable, and real-time financial operations. The system's integration with various stakeholders, including banks and state treasuries, demonstrates how DPI can transform government financial operations while ensuring better public service delivery and fiscal management.

The Public Tech Platform for Frictionless Credit was launched by RBI on August, 2023, developed by the Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH). This end-to-end digital platform features open architecture and APIs, enabling financial sector players to integrate through a 'plug and play' approach.

The platform initially focuses on specific credit products including:

• Kisan Credit Card loans up to ₹1.6 lakh

• Dairy loans

• MSME loans without collateral

• Personal loans

• Home loans

The system integrates various digital services including:

• Aadhaar e-KYC

• Land records from five states (Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra)

• Satellite data and PAN validation

• Account aggregation services

• Milk pouring data from select dairy cooperatives

The platform exemplifies India's digital public infrastructure approach by creating an open, interoperable infrastructure for credit delivery. By integrating various digital services and databases, it demonstrates how DPI can transform financial services through reduced costs, faster disbursement, and improved scalability. The platform's success in enabling quick, paperless loans, as demonstrated in the Digital Kisan Credit Card implementation, showcases DPI's potential to revolutionize credit accessibility while maintaining security and efficiency.

The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) is an informal strategic forum comprising Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, first meeting in 2007 on the sidelines of ASEAN. The partnership aims to promote a free, open, prosperous, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.

The Quad maintains its engagement through:

• Regular summits and meetings

• Information exchanges

• Military drills between member countries

• Working groups on critical issues

Key focus areas include:

• Global health initiatives

• Climate action

• Infrastructure development

• Critical and emerging technologies

• Maritime security

• Cybersecurity

Recent developments demonstrate the Quad's expanding scope, including semiconductor supply chain cooperation and joint initiatives in cervical cancer screening. The forum remains lightly institutionalized, functioning neither as a formal security arrangement nor a trade group, but rather as a platform for democratic nations to deliver tangible benefits to the Indo-Pacific region.

While the Quad's primary focus is strategic cooperation, its working groups on critical and emerging technologies, cybersecurity, and digital infrastructure demonstrate its role in shaping digital ecosystems. The partnership promotes collaboration in building secure, resilient digital infrastructure while fostering technological innovation and digital inclusion across the Indo-Pacific region.

The Quality Council of India (QCI) was established by the government to promote and improve quality standards across various sectors in India. Founded in 1997, QCI aims to enhance the quality of products, services, and processes by developing and implementing robust quality frameworks and accreditation systems. It operates through several councils and boards that focus on different sectors, including healthcare, education, and industrial services. 

QCI’s key roles include accrediting institutions, setting benchmarks for quality, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. By providing accreditation, training, and support, QCI helps organisations achieve and maintain high standards of quality, contributing to national economic growth and competitiveness. Its initiatives support both public and private sectors in adopting best practices, ensuring compliance with global standards, and enhancing overall service delivery.

QCI plays a crucial role in India's digital transformation by establishing quality standards and accreditation frameworks for digital services and infrastructure. As part of the broader DPI ecosystem, QCI ensures the reliability, security, and interoperability of digital platforms through its accreditation processes. The organization's work in standardizing digital services helps build trust in India's digital public infrastructure while promoting quality consciousness in the digital economy.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology uses radio waves to identify people or objects via wireless tags, enabling contactless and non-line-of-sight reading. Since its commercial introduction in the 1970s, RFID has become integral in everyday items like car keys, employee IDs, medical records, toll tags, and security cards. In the U.S., RFID is used in border management with two types: vicinity RFID, which can be read from 20-30 feet away, and proximity RFID, which requires close-range scanning. RFID cards store only a number, directing information to secure databases rather than personal data.

RFID technology serves as a foundational component of digital infrastructure, enabling secure identification and authentication systems. Its integration into various public services, from border control to healthcare management, demonstrates how digital infrastructure can enhance service delivery while maintaining data security. The technology's ability to store only reference numbers rather than personal data aligns with DPI principles of privacy protection while enabling efficient digital service delivery.

A Reconciliation Service Provider (RSP) offers specialized services to verify and match financial transactions across different systems and accounts. In India, these providers handle various types of reconciliation including payment gateway transactions, card transactions, instant payments (UPI, IMPS, NEFT), and digital wallet operations.

Key services include:

• Bank statement reconciliation

• Payment gateway reconciliation

• GST transaction matching

• Vendor and customer account reconciliation

• Intercompany transaction verification

RSPs employ automated systems to handle large transaction volumes, with some providers processing over 3 million ATM transactions and 1 million POS transactions daily for major banks1. They ensure accuracy in financial records, prevent fraud, and maintain compliance with regulatory requirements.

RSPs play a crucial role in India's digital payment infrastructure by ensuring the accuracy and reliability of digital transactions across various platforms. Their integration with UPI, IMPS, Aadhaar Pay, and BBPS demonstrates how reconciliation services support the broader DPI ecosystem.

Revenue Management System

Sahamati is a non-profit industry alliance established to drive the adoption of the Account Aggregator (AA) framework in India. As of August 2024, the ecosystem has enabled over 106.23 million successful consent-based data-sharing transactions across 92.23 million financial accounts, with approximately 300,000 daily consent-based data-sharing transactions.

The organization works with over 540 cross-sectoral financial institutions, including 163 Financial Information Providers and 483 Financial Information Users. Key initiatives include:

• Driving ecosystem adoption through advocacy and education

• Building a cohesive community

• Anchoring participatory governance for self-regulation

• Creating technical infrastructure for implementation

• Strengthening legal foundations

Through its SahamatiNet initiative, the organization is implementing interoperability in the AA ecosystem, enabling seamless connectivity between Financial Information Users (FIUs), Financial Information Providers (FIPs), and Account Aggregators2. The platform has facilitated loans worth ₹42,300 crore from September 2021 to March 2024, with an average loan ticket size of ₹1,00,237.

Sahamati exemplifies India's DPI approach by implementing a digital public infrastructure for consent-based data sharing in the financial sector. Through its integration with other DPI components and focus on interoperability, standardization, and user control, Sahamati demonstrates how digital infrastructure can transform financial services while ensuring privacy and security. The organization's transition to a rigorous, member-driven association further strengthens its role in building and governing critical digital infrastructure.

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are defined in India by the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act of 2006, with revised criteria announced in 2020 that categorizes enterprises based on investment and annual turnover rather than just employment numbers.

Current classification for manufacturing and services:

• Micro: Investment up to ₹1 crore and turnover up to ₹5 crore

• Small: Investment up to ₹10 crore and turnover up to ₹50 crore

• Medium: Investment up to ₹50 crore and turnover up to ₹250 crore

SMEs contribute significantly to India's economy:

• 29.2% share in GDP (2021-22)

• 43.6% of total exports (2022-23)

• Employment to over 12.36 crore people as of August 2023

Key challenges facing SMEs include:

• Requirement of collateral for loans

• Limited access to modern financial regulations

• Complex documentation processes

SMEs are increasingly leveraging India's digital infrastructure through initiatives like the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) for public procurement and digital platforms for financial services. The integration with digital infrastructure is helping SMEs overcome traditional barriers by providing easier access to markets, streamlined procurement processes, and enhanced digital literacy, ultimately supporting their growth and competitiveness in the digital economy.

Societal Thinking is an approach developed through multiple "Do-Think-Do" cycles with change leaders globally to reimagine and realize exponential social change. The initiative works alongside change leaders in over 20 countries, having engaged with more than 500 global change leaders.

The organization operates through three key mechanisms:

• Open knowledge sharing under CCBY SA 4.0 license

• Co-traveling with change leaders across 5 domains and 5 geographies

• Building a mentor network for expertise, support, and co-creation

Societal Thinking is a member of the Centre for Exponential Change (C4EC), a global network committed to solving social problems faster than they grow, and is collaboratively co-funded by Nilekani Philanthropies.

Societal Thinking recognizes the transformative potential of digital public infrastructure, viewing thoughtfully developed DPI as the backbone for an inclusive, resilient, and thriving society. Through its focus on shared digital infrastructure and open innovation, the initiative demonstrates how DPI can be leveraged to give voice and agency to every individual while solving societal challenges at scale. 

Founded in 2021 by Priyanka Mukherjee and Ujjayant Bhattacharyya in rural Assam, STHAAN is a multi-award-winning architecture practice. It emerged from a desire to explore the relationship between form and context. The practice focuses on understanding and creating new synergies between tangible and intangible elements through contextual research, decolonized drawing methods, and speculative inquiries. STHAAN aims to evoke an emotional connection with architecture by integrating imagery, space, and form, enriching the architectural experience through thoughtful exploration and innovative approaches.

Sunbird is a digital infrastructure for learning, developed by EkStep Foundation. The platform has been recognized as a Digital Public Good by the Digital Public Goods Alliance and is part of the DPG Registry.

Key implementations of Sunbird include:

• DIKSHA (Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing): India's national education platform, serving 180 million+ students and 7 million+ teachers across 40 states

• DIVOC (Digital Infrastructure for Verifiable Open Credentialing): A digital infrastructure for health credentials that has issued over 2 billion vaccination certificates across 5 countries

The platform's impact spans multiple sectors:

• Education: Enabling education boards, NGOs, and private players to build content and solutions

• Healthcare: Supporting large-scale vaccination programs and public health initiatives

• Digital credentialing: Providing verifiable, QR-code based certification systems

Sunbird exemplifies the power of DPI through its open-source building blocks that enable countries to create scalable digital solutions. As a recognized Digital Public Good, it demonstrates how digital infrastructure can transform essential services like education and healthcare while promoting equitable access and sustainable development across low and middle-income countries. 

Sunbird Saral is a digital application developed by EkStep Foundation that enables users to convert physical data into structured digital information using mobile devices. The process, known as "Saralify" or "Phygitization," uses advanced optical character recognition (OCR) technology to understand both the content and structure of physical documents.

Key capabilities include:

• Offline digitization of physical documents

• Recognition of handwritten numbers using advanced OCR

• Support for multiple forms and templates

The platform has demonstrated significant impact:

• Over 600,000 teachers in Uttar Pradesh used Saral to digitize assessment data for 140 million students

• Successfully deployed in Gujarat, Assam, Odisha, and Jharkhand

• Reduced data collection time from 3-4 months to just one day

Sunbird Saral is recognized as a Digital Public Good (DPG) and operates according to the openness and interoperability principles of the National Digital Education Architecture (NDEAR). Its integration with other NDEAR building blocks enables additional functionalities like analytics and targeted remedial instruction, demonstrating how DPI can transform educational data management and improve learning outcomes.

Tax Information Network (TIN) is an initiative by the Income Tax Department of India for modernizing direct tax collection, processing, monitoring, and accounting using information technology. The system serves as a nationwide repository of tax-related information and is implemented by Protean eGov Technologies Limited (formerly NSDL e-Governance Infrastructure Limited).

TIN has three key sub-systems:

• Electronic Return Acceptance and Consolidation System (ERACS) with TIN-Facilitation Centers

• Online Tax Accounting System (OLTAS) for daily tax deposit updates

• Central PAN Ledger Generation System (CPLGS) for consolidating PAN-wise information

The system has evolved with TIN 2.0, which became fully operational from April 1, 2023, replacing the erstwhile TIN-NSDL system. 

On the other hand, the web-based utility helps in filing returns for Annual Information Return (AIR), Tax Deduction at Source (TDS), Tax Collection at Source (TCS), and so on. Some other services available on the TIN platform include processing new PAN and TAN, acceptance AIR, Form 24G statement, and so on. 

Key features include:

• User-friendly payment modes through the e-Pay tax platform

• 15-day validity period for generated challans

• Same-day credit or refund facility

TIN exemplifies India's digital public infrastructure by providing a unified platform for tax-related services. Through its integration with the e-filing portal and various banking systems, it demonstrates how digital infrastructure can transform tax administration while ensuring secure and efficient service delivery. The platform's evolution to TIN 2.0 shows the continuous modernization of digital public infrastructure to improve user experience and system efficiency.

Techno-Legal Regulation Act

Technology Service Providers (TSPs) are entities that facilitate integration within the Account Aggregator (AA) ecosystem without requiring an NBFC-AA license. They develop foundation modules connecting Financial Information Providers (FIPs) and Financial Information Users (FIUs) to Account Aggregators.

TSPs offer three key service areas:

• Development of FIP-FIU modules for connecting with AAs

• Data Analytics services for handling financial information

• User Journey design focused on building trust and transparency

Key functions include:

• Backend integration with all AAs in the ecosystem

• Development of underwriting models and SME scorecards

• Product design for applications

• Single-window onboarding experience as intermediate certified entities

TSPs serve as crucial enablers in India's financial DPI ecosystem by providing the technical infrastructure that powers the Account Aggregator framework. Their role in developing standardized modules and ensuring secure data handling demonstrates how specialized service providers can enhance the functionality and adoption of digital public infrastructure while maintaining security and interoperability standards.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) was established on February 20, 1997, through the TRAI Act to regulate telecom services, including tariff fixation/revision that was previously managed by the Central Government. The creation of TRAI was necessitated by the entry of private service providers and the need for independent regulation.

TRAI's key objectives include:

• Creating conditions for telecommunications growth

• Regulating telecom services

• Ensuring compliance with license terms and conditions

• Setting quality of service standards

• Promoting technical compatibility and interconnection

The TRAI Act was amended through an ordinance effective January 24, 2000, establishing the Telecommunications Dispute Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT). TDSAT adjudicates disputes between:

• Licensors and licensees

• Service providers

• Service providers and consumer groups

• Appeals against TRAI decisions

TRAI plays a crucial role in India's digital infrastructure by creating regulatory frameworks that enable digital transformation in telecommunications. As the regulatory authority, it ensures the development of robust digital communication infrastructure while promoting fair competition and consumer protection. Its policies and regulations help shape the foundation for various digital public infrastructure initiatives by ensuring reliable, accessible, and affordable telecommunications services.

A Third-Party Administrator (TPA) is a company registered with IRDAI that provides operational services such as claims processing and benefits management under contract to insurance companies. TPAs were introduced by IRDA to help manage the growing volume of health insurance claims and maintain service quality as the insurance sector expanded1.

Key functions of TPAs include:

• Processing and managing health insurance claims

• Issuing health cards to policyholders

• Building and maintaining hospital networks

• Providing 24x7 helpline facilities

• Arranging value-added services like ambulance services and wellness programs

TPAs serve as intermediaries between insurers, hospitals, and policyholders, handling crucial tasks such as:

• Pre-authorization for cashless treatment

• Documentation management

• Claims settlement

• Hospital network management

TPAs are increasingly leveraging digital infrastructure to transform healthcare administration. Through integration with digital health platforms and payment systems, TPAs facilitate seamless claim processing and benefit delivery. Their role in building digital networks between insurers, healthcare providers, and beneficiaries demonstrates how intermediary organizations can enhance the effectiveness of digital public infrastructure in healthcare service delivery.

Total Addressable Market (TAM) represents the total potential market demand for a product or service calculated in annual revenue if 100% market share is achieved. It helps companies prioritize products, customer segments, and business opportunities while determining required resources and potential revenue impact.

There are three primary methods to calculate TAM:

Top-down approach: 

• Starts with total market size and industry statistics

• Formula: Number of companies × Average spending per company

Bottom-up approach: 

• Based on company-specific data and actual customer behavior

• Formula: (Average sales price × Total customers) × Number of potential customers

Value-theory approach:

• Used for innovative products without existing market data

• Based on estimated customer value perception and willingness to pay

TAM analysis often includes two related metrics:

• Serviceable Available Market (SAM): Portion of TAM that can realistically be targeted

• Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM): Percentage of market that can be captured in the near term

Understanding TAM is crucial for DPI initiatives as it helps assess the potential reach and impact of digital infrastructure investments. For digital public goods and services, TAM analysis helps governments and organizations evaluate the scalability of solutions and prioritize infrastructure development based on potential user base and economic impact.

Unified Energy Interface

The Unified Farmer Service Platform (UFSP) is a comprehensive digital infrastructure launched by the Government of India to streamline agricultural services delivery. The platform serves as a central agency in the agricultural ecosystem, similar to UPI in digital payments, enabling seamless interaction between various stakeholders1.

Key functions include:

• Registration of public and private service providers

• Facilitation of Government-to-Farmer (G2F) and Business-to-Farmer (B2F) services

• Repository of standards, APIs, and formats

• Data exchange medium across various schemes

• Integration with farmers' database linked to land records

The platform works in conjunction with AgriStack, leveraging data from PM-KISAN and other sources to create a comprehensive digital infrastructure. It enables farmers to access various services including credit facilities, soil profiles, yield estimations, and market linkages.

UFSP exemplifies India's approach to sector-specific DPI by creating an interoperable platform that connects farmers, government agencies, and private service providers. As part of the Digital Agriculture Mission, it demonstrates how digital infrastructure can transform agricultural services while reducing paperwork and improving efficiency through digital authentication and streamlined service delivery.

Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is a health care system that ensures all residents of a particular country or region have access to quality essential health services without facing financial hardship. It covers the full continuum of essential health services, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care across the life course.

Key aspects of UHC include:

• Coverage for all residents through government funding or mandatory private insurance

• Protection from high out-of-pocket expenses

• Primary Health Care (PHC) as the driving force

• Integration of healthcare services and innovative digital solutions

UHC implementation increasingly relies on digital infrastructure to improve healthcare delivery and accessibility. Digital solutions enable efficient patient registration, health records management, and telemedicine services while facilitating seamless integration between healthcare providers and beneficiaries. The integration of digital infrastructure helps reduce administrative costs, improve service delivery, and ensure better monitoring of health outcomes while promoting equitable access to healthcare services.

By the end of 2030, the world aims to make significant progress toward the availability of Universal Health Coverage. 

Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is a real-time payment system developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Launched on April 11, 2016, UPI facilitates instant peer-to-peer (P2P), person-to-merchant (P2M), and inter-bank transactions through mobile devices.

Key features include:

• Multiple bank account management through a single app

• Transactions via UPI ID, QR code, or Virtual Payment Address (VPA)

• Two-click factor authentication process

• Integration with existing systems like IMPS and AEPS

The platform has demonstrated remarkable growth, processing over six billion transactions monthly in 2022 and facilitating transactions worth $940 billion in 2021.

UPI operates as a digital public infrastructure, enabling seamless interactions between all stakeholders without transaction costs1. As a cornerstone of India's digital payment ecosystem, it demonstrates how open-source protocols can transform financial services. The system's success has inspired other countries, with Google recommending UPI as a model for the US Federal Reserve's FedNow system.

The Division for Sustainable Development Goals (DSDG) within UNDESA serves as the SDG Secretariat, providing substantive support and capacity building across thematic areas including water, energy, climate, oceans, urbanization, transport, science and technology1.

The Division's core functions include:

• Providing analytical inputs for intergovernmental deliberations

• Leading the drafting of Secretary-General's reports on sustainable development

• Contributing to the Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR)

Supporting Member States in preparing voluntary national reviews at the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development1

DSDG works to mobilize the UN system through several inter-agency mechanisms, serving as Secretariat for UN-Water and UN-Energy, while contributing to inter-agency processes on Oceans and Transport1. The Division helps translate UN intergovernmental decisions into actual policies and actions through capacity development initiatives1.

DSDG recognizes digital infrastructure as a key enabler for achieving the SDGs. Through its work on science and technology, the Division promotes the development of digital public infrastructure to support sustainable development goals, particularly in areas like digital inclusion, e-governance, and technological innovation for social progress.