By Ashwini Vaishnaw
A couple of months ago, I met a senior European Minister in Delhi. She was amazed by Bharat's digital payment revolution. What struck her most was how people across India were making payments using mobile phones. From small villages to big cities, everyone — from tea vendors to shopkeepers—was using digital payments with ease.
But she had one question: How did India achieve this scale, with so much diversity in language and geography? I showed her a ₹500 currency note. The words 'Five Hundred Rupees' appear in 17 languages. This diversity has been bridged by our visionary leader using technology.
It is this spirit of inclusion that defines our approach to technology as well, reflecting the key philosophy of our Prime Minister (Narendra Modi). Democratising access and making technology work for all. From payment alerts on the speaker at the shop to instant SMS confirmations, the system is designed to be barrier-free and straightforward.
BHIM works in 20 languages, UMANG in 13 languages — all reflecting the same spirit of inclusion. As we celebrate 10 years of the Digital India programme, this transformation stands as a proud example. We have come a long way, and our opportunities are immense.
The dream of Antyodaya—reaching the last person with dignity and opportunity—continues to guide us.
India Stack
The journey began with a clear idea enunciated by PM (Narendra) Modi ten years ago — to build population-scale digital infrastructure that serves everyone, not just a few. This led to the creation of what the world today recognizes as the India Stack. At the heart is Aadhaar, the world’s largest biometric identity system. It gives 1.4 billion people a unique digital identity. Every day, over nine crore Aadhaar authentications take place, enabling access to essential services with speed and trust.
UPI—a homegrown innovation—has transformed how financial transactions take place across Bharat. From small street vendors to large businesses, everyone is using it with ease. More than 60 crore UPI transactions now happen on an average day. This shows how deeply digital payments are woven into daily life.
DigiLocker has further simplified governance and citizen access. Your documents are just a click away. Be it driving licenses, educational certificates, or other essential records—millions now carry these securely, and conveniently.
None of this would have been possible without the widespread use of mobile phones. Today, nearly 90% of Bharat uses mobile devices. It puts the power of technology, directly in people's hands.
India Stack also stands as a global model. At G20, India championed the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) agenda and proposed a Global DPI Repository. UPI is already live in 7 countries, with many others looking to adopt it. What started as a mission to empower every Indian is now inspiring the world.
Inclusive Growth
Over 55 crore Jan Dhan accounts have been opened and ₹44 lakh crore disbursed through Direct Benefit Transfer. More than 10 crore LPG connections and health benefits have been delivered directly. All made possible by Digital India's Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) trinity.
Today, an auto driver in Varanasi or a hawker in Mumbai can accept digital payments. Leakages in welfare schemes have reduced. Governance has become transparent and real-time.
Human Touch in Governance
Digital platforms like MyGov and UMANG connect citizens directly to over 2,000 government services. e-Sanjeevani, Bharat's national telemedicine platform, has facilitated 38 crore doctor consultations.
The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) has created a unique digital health ID for every citizen. Over 79 crore Health IDs, 6 lakh healthcare professionals, and 60 crore health records are now integrated.
Smt. Kanti Devi, from a remote village in Bihar, was able to consult a specialist sitting hundreds of kilometers away in Lucknow—without leaving her home. Such is the power of Digital India—bringing essential services like healthcare to the doorstep of the common citizen
Youth and Farmers
Digital education platforms like DIKSHA, SWAYAM, and PM eVidya now reach millions of students in their local languages. Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) and FutureSkills Prime are equipping our youth with skills in AI, Cybersecurity, and Blockchain.
Farmers are accessing weather updates, soil health cards, and market prices digitally. Over 11 crore farmers now receive direct income support through PM-KISAN, delivered seamlessly.
These examples showcase how technology, when built with scale and inclusivity at its core, can bring lasting change to people’s lives - the vision of Antyodaya.
Built-in Trust
With the growing digitization of Bharat, its cybersecurity framework has been strengthened. Institutions like CERT-In, the 1930 cybercrime helpline, and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 reflect India's commitment to user privacy and data security. This ensures citizens can use digital services with trust and confidence.
A strong example of this was seen during Operation Sindoor. Our agencies successfully countered multiple coordinated cyberattacks on our infrastructure.
Innovation and startups
With over 1.8 lakh startups and 100+ unicorns, Bharat today hosts the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world. Many of these startups have grown on the foundation of Digital India's public digital infrastructure. India is now exporting Digital Public Goods, with countries across Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia adopting India Stack models.
Our AI Mission is also making high-end computing affordable. Over 34,000 GPUs are now available and 6000 more in the pipeline, for startups, researchers, and students at a fraction of global cost.
Telecom to Semiconductors
PM Modi’s focus on “Make in India, Make for India, Make for the World” has led to a sharp rise in electronics and mobile manufacturing. Our electronics manufacturing has crossed ₹ 12 lakh crore. Today, India is also a net exporter of mobile phones. This growth has been parallely supported by a robust expansion in telecom infrastructure. After many years, BSNL has become profitable again, marking a significant turnaround in the public telecom sector. India has also developed its own indigenous telecom stack.
Today, 4G covers almost the entire country, and India has recorded the world’s fastest 5G rollout. This strong digital backbone is helping to power the next phase of Digital India.
The India Semiconductor Mission is turning the vision of Indian-made chip into reality. Construction of six semiconductor plants is progressing rapidly. There is now a healthy competition among them to roll out the first Made-in-India chip as soon as possible. It’s the kind of competition we welcome. Bharat also hosts over 1,700 Global Capability Centres, employing around 2 million people. What started as cost-saving back offices are now driving innovation, design, and product development for the world.
Road Ahead
The Digital India programme marks its 10th anniversary. A strong digital foundation has been laid, over which the edifice of Viksit Bharat is now being built. Our focus remains clear—to bridge the last-mile digital divide, enhance digital literacy, and ensure cyber safety for all. And ultimately make technology a true companion in every citizen’s life.
(The author is a Union Minister of Railways, Electronics & Information Technology and Information & Broadcasting, Government of India)
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer. The facts and opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of ETV Bharat)
