PMINDIA

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Namaskar!

I welcome you to ”Namma Bengaluru”. This is a city that is home to Science, Technology, and the spirit of entrepreneurship. There is no better place than Bengaluru to discuss the digital economy!

Friends,

India’s digital transformation over the last nine years is unprecedented. It all started with the launch of our Digital India initiative in 2015. It is powered by our unshakeable belief in innovation. It is driven by our commitment to speedy implementation. And, it is motivated by our spirit of inclusion, leaving no one behind. The scale, speed and scope of this transformation is beyond imagination. Today, India has over 850 million internet users, enjoying some of the cheapest data costs in the world. We have leveraged technology to transform Governance, to make it more efficient, inclusive, faster and transparent. Our unique digital identity platform, Aadhaar, covers more than one point three billion of our people. We have used the power of the JAM trinity- Jan Dhan bank accounts, Aadhaar, and Mobile- to revolutionize financial inclusion in India. Every month, nearly 10 billion transactions take place on UPI, our instant payment system. More than 45% of the global real time payments happen in India. Direct Benefits Transfer of government support is plugging leakages, and has saved over 33 billion dollars. The CoWIN portal supported India’s Covid vaccination drive. It helped in the delivery of over 2 billion vaccine doses along with digitally verifiable certificates. The Gati-Shakti platform uses technology and spatial planning to map infrastructure and logistics. It is assisting in planning, reducing costs, and increasing speed of delivery. Our online public procurement platform- the Government e-Marketplace- has brought transparency and probity into the process. The Open Network for Digital Commerce is democratizing e-Commerce. Fully digitized taxation systems are promoting transparency and e-governance. We are building Bhashini, an AI-powered language translation platform. It will support digital inclusion in all the diverse languages of India.

Excellencies,

India’s Digital Public Infrastructure offers scalable, secure and inclusive solutions for global challenges. India is an incredibly diverse country. We have dozens of languages and hundreds of dialects. It is home to every religion in the world, and innumerable cultural practices. From ancient traditions, to the latest technologies, India has something for everyone. With such diversity, India is an ideal testing lab for solutions. A solution that succeeds in India, can be easily applied anywhere in the world. India is ready to share its experiences with the world. We offered our CoWIN platform for global good during the Covid pandemic. We have now created an online Global Public Digital Goods Repository – the India Stack. This is to ensure that no one is left behind. Especially our brothers and sisters from the Global South.

Excellencies,

I am glad that you are working to create a G20 virtual Global Digital Public Infrastructure Repository. Progress on Common Framework for Digital Public Infrastructure will help create a transparent, accountable, and fair digital eco-system for all. I also welcome your efforts to develop a Roadmap to Facilitate Cross Country Comparison of Digital Skills. And, to set up a Virtual Centre of Excellence on Digital Skilling. These are important efforts to meet the needs of a workforce which is future ready. As the digital economy spreads globally, it will face security threats and challenges. In this context, it is important to build consensus on the G20 High-Level Principles for a Secure, Trusted, and Resilient Digital Economy.

Friends,

Technology has connected us like never before. It holds the promise for inclusive and sustainable development for all. We, in G20, have a unique opportunity to lay the foundations for an inclusive, prosperous, and secure global digital future. We can advance Financial Inclusion and Productivity through Digital Public Infrastructure. We can promote the use of digital technology by farmers and small businesses. We can establish the framework to build a global digital health eco-system. We can also develop a framework for safe and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence. Indeed, we can build an entire eco-system of technology-based solutions to address the challenges faced by humanity. All it needs from us are the four C’s – Conviction, Commitment, Coordination, and Collaboration. And, I have no doubt that your group will take us forward in that direction. I wish you all a very productive discussion. Thank you! Thank You very much!