India is taking digital technology governance on a very serious note in its G-20 presidency. It is the limelight of its goal as a global digital leader.
India’s G-20, 2023 presidency comes at a crucial moment when the world is at peril on many signposts. As a key strategic player, major economic power, and now one of the most populous countries, India possesses the heft to leave a mark in the G-20 in a drastically changed geopolitical context and thus, it is making digital technology governance one of the centerpieces of its G-20 presidency.
Learning About the Agenda
The G-20 digital agenda is likely to be robust even after the global geopolitical turbulence. In the 2022 November, G-20 Bali leaders’ declaration and member states understood the importance of taking ahead inclusive cooperation on digital trade, expanding feasible and high-quality digital infrastructure, giving access to cross-border data flows, and developing digital literacy and skills.
As India stands as one of the fastest growing economies in the world with digital markets and huge customer base across the globe, the pace and scale of digital transformation in India has surpassed many world leaders. According to an RBI study, the digital economy of India grew by a rate of 2.4 times faster than the total economy in count. Considering the rate at which the digital economy is growing in India, its interest to sustain this and take it forward can be seen as a great investment for the overall growth of the economy. India sees digital economy project not just as its own development but also as a fundamental project to sustain its internationally developing image and to also pull it back to its own economy in terms of securing jobs, enhancing connectivity, and facilitating inclusive growth which is citizen centric.
India is also building notable success at harnessing digital tech to help its citizens gain easy access to public services and enable economic mobility. The “India Stack” digitization project consists mainly of four layers which are designed for its citizens to get digital identity, get advanced payment systems, virtual documentation and verification, and personal data management systems. These efforts also consist of the creation of the Unique Identification Authority of India or UIDAI and the Aadhar biometric system which enables every citizen to obtain a unique and permanent digital identity.
Further Efforts
Now, India is further capitalizing on its digital efforts in order to represent itself as a role model in the G-20, 2023 Summit. It aims at rallying around wider development agendas such ad financial inclusion, connectivity for all, and healthcare innovations. Earlier in March 2023 at the official G-20 dialogue forum with the Global Business Community or B20, India presented its indigenous tech, 5G and India stack application program interface to everyone across the world as part of its commitment to the digitization efforts for the global community.
What’s the debate about?
Although when it comes to the digital governance debate, India takes an independent approach to push its agenda and has limited estranged nature to the current world geopolitical situation in G-20, 2023.
All in all, India’s G-20 digital agenda may very well be a success at presenting the group’s relevance in turbulent times. How? By doubling the opportunities of digital technology for various developmental projects, promoting the independent digital governance model, and de-emphasizing on issues like internet freedom.
Walking on a Tightrope
However, after all these, India is still walking a tightrope by declining to employ the G-20 as a platform for challenging digital authoritarianism, it might reduce its ability to capitalize on its international position as the world’s biggest digital democracy.
Do you think the digital revolution agenda is enough for G-20, 2023 or more should be spoken about?
