U.S., Japan, and South Korea Sign DiGi Framework

The Digital Infrastructure Growth Initiative for India Framework (DiGi Framework) aims to advance cooperation between the United States, Japan, South Korea, and India. The initiative seeks to support the development of India’s digital infrastructure, fostering economic growth, financial inclusion, and technological innovation.

Key Objectives

1. Primary Goal: The framework’s main objective is to collaborate with the Indian private sector to enhance digital infrastructure within India.
2. Supporting Agencies:
   1. U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC)
   2. Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC)
   3. Export-Import Bank of Korea (Korea Eximbank)

Focus Areas for Implementation

The DiGi Framework will focus on the following sectors within India’s information and communications technology landscape: 5G Networks, Open RAN (Radio Access Networks), Submarine Cables, Optical Fiber Networks, Data Centres, Smart Cities, E-commerce, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Quantum Technology.

Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) in India

India has made significant progress in the development of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), with a particular focus on inclusive development, economic growth, and sustainability. India’s India Stack is the backbone of this infrastructure, which includes three key components:

1. Aadhaar – Digital Identification system
2. Unified Payments Interface (UPI) – Real-time rapid payment system
3. Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture (DEPA) – Data-sharing architecture

Significance of DPI in India

1. Inclusive Development:
   DPI has played a pivotal role in achieving 80% financial inclusion between 2018 and 2023. It has also facilitated direct benefit transfers, supporting 87% of poor households during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2. Economic Growth:
   The implementation of DPI in the financial sector could accelerate economic growth by 33% by improving financial services and access.

3. Emission Reduction:
   DPI applications in the climate sector can help India reduce emissions by 5-10 years by supporting carbon offsetting and trading, land mapping, and enhanced weather information and monitoring.

India’s Efforts to Globalize DPIs India has been at the forefront of promoting Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) globally through various international initiatives: US-India Global Digital Development Partnership: This partnership focuses on the responsible use of emerging digital technologies, particularly in Asia and Africa. G20 Framework for Systems of DPI: Under India’s leadership, the G20 adopted a framework outlining principles for the design and deployment of DPI systems worldwide. Virtual Global DPI Repository: India is setting up a global repository to host tools, resources, and experiences related to DPI from around the world, promoting knowledge sharing and global collaboration.

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