UN Applauds India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Model for Empowering Future Citizens

New York: India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) model has been lauded on the global stage at a high-level event organized by India’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations. The event, titled "Empowering the Digital Citizen of the Future: Towards Integrated Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)", was held at the UN headquarters in New York. The program began with a moment of silence to pay tribute to the victims of a recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, India. Speakers expressed their condolences and reaffirmed their collective commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms.

India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador P. Harish, delivered the opening address, highlighting India’s transformative journey in building an inclusive and scalable DPI ecosystem. He emphasized the significant role of artificial intelligence (AI) in revolutionizing sectors such as education and agriculture. Ambassador Harish underscored India’s key initiatives like Aadhaar, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), and the JAM Trinity (Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, and Mobile) in driving digital inclusion.

The keynote speech was delivered by Jitin Prasada, the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, and Electronics & Information Technology. He elaborated on India’s DPI success story, highlighting the nation’s ambition to expand its digital public infrastructure into new domains such as agriculture, logistics, and smart cities. His address further emphasized India’s commitment to inclusive digital transformation, showcasing the country’s leadership in leveraging technology for societal benefits.

The event also featured the 79th President of the United Nations General Assembly, Csaba Kőrösi, who commended India for its leadership in digital innovation and praised the country’s efforts to develop DPI as a model for global well-being. He recognized the potential of DPI in shaping a more inclusive and equitable digital future for all nations.

Throughout the program, speakers discussed the importance of collaboration, innovation, and inclusivity in shaping global digital governance. They shared their perspectives on how DPI could be leveraged to build a more just digital future, emphasizing the need for international cooperation in digital infrastructure development.

India’s success with DPI has become a reference point for the global community, as the country continues to scale its initiatives to impact millions of lives. From financial inclusion through UPI to access to education via AI-powered platforms, the Indian model of DPI is being recognized as an effective and scalable solution to address critical challenges in both developing and developed economies.

This event underscored the growing recognition of India’s role in shaping the digital future and positioning itself as a global leader in technological innovation, with a focus on inclusivity and sustainable development. The DPI model has shown how technology can be used not only for economic growth but also to ensure that the benefits of digital advancement are accessible to all sections of society.