Digital India turns 10: PM Modi reflects on India’s digital transformation journey, calls for tech that ‘unites, includes, and uplifts’
On the 10th anniversary of Digital India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reflected on a transformative journey that has reshaped the country’s technological landscape, shattered old limitations, and positioned India as a global digital powerhouse.
“When we launched Digital India ten years ago, many doubted whether a nation as vast, diverse, and complex as India could truly go digital,” PM Modi shared.
But a decade later, those doubts have been buried under data, dashboards, and most importantly, the lived realities of 140 crore Indians.
Bridging the digital divide
In 2014, India had just 25 crore internet connections. Today, that number has surged past 97 crore, with over 42 lakh kilometres of Optical Fibre Cable connecting even the most remote corners of the nation, from Ladakh to the last village.
This inclusive vision has powered unprecedented connectivity: India’s 5G rollout is among the fastest globally, reaching not only urban centres but critical border regions like the Galwan Valley and intimidating heights of Siachen.
Building a digital backbone
Central to this revolution is India Stack, the world’s largest open digital infrastructure, enabling platforms like UPI, which now handles over 100 billion transactions annually, accounting for nearly half of all global real-time payments.
Similarly, schemes like Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) have sent ₹44 lakh crore directly to citizens, cutting middlemen and saving ₹3.48 lakh crore in leakages. Land reforms through SVAMITVA have provided 2.4 crore property cards, ending generations of uncertainty, PM Modi elaborated in his social media post.
Democratising opportunity
Technology is no longer confined to urban elites, it’s uplifting artisans, MSMEs, and entrepreneurs across India. ONDC(Open Network for Digital Commerce) recently surpassed 200 million transactions, linking sellers from Banaras to Nagaland with customers nationwide.
Meanwhile, the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) has clocked ₹1 lakh crore in GMV within 50 days, empowering over 22 lakh sellers, including 1.8 lakh women-led enterprises.
Digital India on the global stage
India’s Digital Public Infrastructure, from Aadhaar and CoWIN to DigiLocker and PM-WANI, is now a global model. CoWIN enabled 220 crore vaccinations with verifiable QR certificates. DigiLocker, with over 54 crore users, hosts 775 crore+ digital documents securely.
During India’s G20 Presidency, the Global DPI Repository and a $25 million Social Impact Fund were launched to help developing nations build inclusive digital ecosystems.
From Startup Nation to Tech Renaissance
India has emerged among the world’s top three startup ecosystems, with over 1.8 lakh startups fueling a homegrown tech revolution. AI is the next frontier — through the $1.2 billion India AI Mission, India offers affordable access to 34,000 GPUs, making it the world’s most cost-effective compute destination.
With humanity-first AI principles and Centres of Excellence, India is championing ethical, inclusive innovation.
The Road Ahead: India for the World
PM Modi declared that Digital India is no longer just a government program; it is a people’s movement and a pillar of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. As India transitions from digital governance to global digital leadership, the call is clear:
“To all innovators, entrepreneurs, and dreamers — the world is looking at India for the next digital breakthrough,” PM Modi said. “Let us build what empowers, solve what matters, and lead with technology that unites and uplifts.”
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