New Delhi : During his speech at the G20 Digital Economy Ministerial Meet held in Bengaluru, Karnataka, on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi showcased India’s remarkable digital transformation and its unwavering dedication to fostering comprehensive digital progress.
The event, graced by esteemed representatives from across the world, served as a platform for envisioning the trajectory of the digital economy’s future.
Welcoming the participants with warmth, PM Modi highlighted Bengaluru’s stature as a nucleus for science, technology, and entrepreneurship, underscoring, “Bengaluru stands as the prime location to delve into discussions on the digital economy.” He lauded India’s digital voyage that began with the initiation of the Digital India initiative back in 2015.
He ascribed this transformation to inventive prowess, expedited implementation, and an ethos of inclusivity, asserting that “the magnitude, celerity, and expanse of this transformation transcend imagination.”
With over 850 million internet users, pioneering initiatives like Aadhaar covering more than 1.3 billion citizens, the Jan Dhan bank accounts, Aadhaar, and Mobile (JAM) triad that revolutionized financial inclusion, and a staggering count of nearly 10 billion monthly transactions on the UPI instant payment system, India holds sway over more than 45 percent of global real-time payments.
Acknowledging the role of the CoWIN portal in the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, the Gati-Shakti platform for infrastructure and logistics, the Government e-Marketplace ensuring transparent procurement, the Open Network for Digital Commerce democratizing e-commerce, digitized taxation systems fostering transparency and e-governance, and the forthcoming AI-powered language translation platform, Bhashini.
PM Modi underscored that India’s diverse terrain makes it a prime testbed for scalable, secure, and inclusive solutions that can yield benefits worldwide.
With pride, he unveiled the inception of the India Stack, an online repository of Global Public Digital Goods, intended to ensure inclusivity, particularly for nations in the Global South.
Speaking to the international delegates, he extended his support for the establishment of a G20 virtual Global Digital Public Infrastructure Repository, the formulation of a Common Framework for Digital Public Infrastructure, and initiatives to facilitate cross-border evaluation of digital competencies.
He also embraced the notion of establishing a Virtual Centre of Excellence on Digital Skilling.
Given the global proliferation of the digital economy, Prime Minister Modi urged the G20 to prioritize the formulation of high-level principles to fortify a secure, trustworthy, and resilient digital economy, countering emerging security risks and adversities.
As he concluded his discourse, he highlighted the potential of technology to unite the world and foster all-encompassing and sustainable advancement.
He rallied for “Conviction, Commitment, Coordination, and Collaboration” as the cornerstones for constructing a global ecosystem of technology-driven solutions to tackle the challenges faced by humanity.
Prime Minister Modi’s address at the G20 Digital Economy Ministerial Meet underscored India’s resolute commitment to shaping a prosperous and comprehensive global digital future through innovation and collective efforts.
