India has to adopt mature and budding DPIs that have proof of concept and are prepared for widespread adoption, which could lead to a trillion dollars in the digital economy. The nation has developed an initiative called The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), focusing on assisting India's digital health infrastructure, resulting in increased value.

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade has established an open network for digital commerce that is expected to boost retail spending. By 2030, the digital public infrastructure network is expected to significantly improve efficiency, encourage social and financial inclusion, and positively impact the global economy. The network's benefits are expected to extend beyond borders, paving the way for a brighter and more interconnected future.

Increasing connectivity

The first and foremost thing is that the nation needs to ensure there is robust internet connectivity across the nation, which will help the population proactively deal with diverse sorts of transactions contributing to the swift growth of the economy. More importantly, it will also help in bridging the digital divide and staying active in the contemporary landscape. Having the presence of 5G technologies is very crucial in transforming communications, allowing quicker transfer of data, low latency, and cooperating with cutting-edge technologies like Gen AI and the Internet of Things. Hence, increasing connectivity will mainly depend on the quicker implementation of 5G technologies and has to come into effect wherever it is not successfully done. 

For instance, Bharnet is a great initiative that offers Internet with faster connectivity, mainly in the nation's remote areas. The increased access to the Internet is helping people in rural areas with online education, healthcare, and other services.

Digitizing government processes

To a greater extent, government processes have been digitalized, in contrast with traditional times. However, it has to be changed comprehensively, which will lead to several benefits in the form of transparency in dealings, minimized corruption, and systematic service delivery, creating a user-friendly environment. After the arrival of the pandemic, there has been an increase in digital payments, which helped users save time in performing transactions, and the complete adoption of them scales up economic inclusion, lowers the informal economy, and leads to a cashless world. Hence, digital public infrastructure can shape the economy from the ground level, contributing to maximum benefits to the government, and become a trailing-dollar economy at a fast pace.

Since the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN), the country's taxation system has become more organized. Digitalization has contributed to transparency and efficiency in the system. The GSTN has completely digitized the tax process, changing the complicated system of multiple indirect taxes with a proper structure.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar, minister of electronics and information technology, said ""These DPIs built as open source apps are being offered by India during its G20 presidency to any country that also aspires to digitise governance and public services,"

Boosting Educational Services & Healthcare

In the education sector, online tools are mandatory to improve the overall quality and ubiquitous accessibility, encouraging continuous learning and skill development. The technology-enabled classroom layout will provide an excellent learning experience, assisting students in their digital development. The healthcare landscape has significantly improved with the integration of digital technologies. Most interestingly, remote healthcare access has lowered the number of patients arriving at the hospital for several medical concerns. However, it has not been completely accessed in the nation's remote areas, so it is crucial to leverage digital infrastructure for telemedicine, which will improve medical accessibility mainly in the areas where it is lacking and contribute to overall public health.

India has implemented a significant initiative called National Health Mission (NHM), aimed at providing affordable, easily accessible, and high-quality healthcare services to people living in remote areas, particularly women and children. Digital public infrastructure facilitates the creation of electronic health records, enabling the implementation of telemedicine services and monitoring health-related initiatives.

Robust Cybersecurity Measures

The population is at its peak, and the users have millions of transactions per day, which has a high chance of security risk, which can be prevented only with robust cybersecurity measures. Implementing advanced measures will protect digital infrastructure from serious cyber threats and smooth activities. To put the cyber measures into practice, it is essential to employ strict rules and regulations, information protection mechanisms, and access controls, and these will set a strong barrier to avoiding unwanted access, software, and privacy breaches. More importantly, awareness programs must be conducted to educate users on why strict measures are vital to streamlining operations and how they will eventually contribute to the economy's growth.

The nation has adopted a National Cyber Security Strategy (NCSS) to protect against cyber threats and vulnerabilities. DPI stands as the key to putting cybersecurity measures into practice in order to offer relevant infrastructure and rules to secure online assets and networks. 

All in all, it is imperative for the government to continue its efforts towards developing a robust Digital Public Infrastructure and ensure seamless integration to enable the country to contribute towards achieving a trillion-dollar economy. Utilizing advanced technology will result in various advantages, including improved connectivity, strengthening education and healthcare services, and much more. Ultimately, the nation can unlock several opportunities for growth. It's just not the sole responsibility of the government; instead, there should be a combined effort of the people in developing a strong and digital foundation that takes the nation towards growth.