Statement by India during the Panel discussion on the most efficient ways of upholding good governance to address the human rights impacts of the various digital divides, delivered by Mr. Mohammed Hussain K.S., First Secretary, Permanent Mission of India, Geneva, 4 September 2023
Mr. Chair,
India is committed to providing good governance guided by the ‘citizen-first approach’. To ensure that they become active participants in the governance process and are engaged meaningfully with the mantra "Minimum Government - Maximum Governance".
- Information and communication technologies have played a significant role in achieving our goal of good governance for inclusive and sustainable socio-economic development, leading to digital transformation of India. Our developmental agenda has focused on deployment of digital technologies to improve the outcomes of the Government’s developmental missions. Our biometric-based unique identification system - ‘Aadhaar’, now covers more than 95% of the country’s population, enabling access to a range of social protection services.
- The widening "Digital gaps” and "Digital knowledge gaps” among and within countries is unsustainable. Growing digital dependency in the post-COVID era has exacerbated risks and exposed consequences of digital inequalities. This gap, if not bridged can create new fault lines. Upskilling in digital sectors, closing the gaps in ICT infrastructure and facilitating technology transfer of relevant products and services should be prioritised.
- The Public Digital Platforms (PDPs) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPIs) play a crucial role in enhancing government-citizen engagement by empowering citizens and ensuring ease of governance, business and living. When open, inter-operable, inclusive, and market-friendly PDPs are combined with the active participation of the industry and coordinated policy reforms, innovative and inclusive solutions emerge. These platforms also foster innovation for small businesses by building solutions on top of the existing PDPs. Individual PDPs on identity, payments, and consensual data sharing, when integrated, enable significant value creation through the network effect. While most countries have an identity system, only a few have truly digital systems. This limits their utility and the infrastructure's ability to yield desired results.
- India’s national digital platforms are founded on four core principles: digital services should be “presence-less” or capable of being used from anywhere, “paperless” or solely reliant on digital records, “cashless” or truly universalizing the access and usage of digital payments, and “consent-based” or allowing movement of data only based on authorization by those to whom it pertains. This approach is based on the realization that digital technologies have the potential to impact all sectors of economy, be it education, health, agriculture or infrastructure. The goals so identified are being further augmented to include bridging the digital gender divide, fostering the 4th Industrial revolution, promoting entrepreneurship, digital government and inclusion. India’s experience of utilizing the power of digital platforms is a case study where developing economies through embracing technologies will be able to leapfrog towards sustainable and inclusive growth. Our experience indicates that Governments have a key role to play in catalyzing digital transformation for inclusive growth.
- Based on India’s experience in data for development (D4D) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), at the G20 Presidency this year, India has placed the Digital Transformation, D4D and DPIs as important priorities for G20, with focus on the need for capacity-building in developing countries, thus, aligning harnessing and data usage with the SDGs.
- We are working towards deliverables such as G20 Principles on Harnessing Data for Development in the G20 Development Working Group as well as deliverables related to Digital Public Infrastructure in the relevant G20 Working Group tracks. We intend for these efforts to come together at the Leaders level in a coherent narrative for a digital future for the developing world with the view of leaving no one behind.
I thank you, Mr. Chair.
