The concept of a ‘digital public infrastructure’ or DPI is not new, but rather, an act of cohesion-building between existing flows of data, financial activities and identity across digital platforms and technologies. DPIs are imagined as large-scale infrastructural digital inventions aimed at making technological seamlessness a common feature of our dealings with the state, private industry and one another.
They form ecosystems of people and their digital personhoods, based on principles of open-source code software, decentralised creation, customisable user experience, sustainable development, paperless economies and a ‘highway’ approach to data and digital service delivery. Through their reduction of “inconvenience”, human bottlenecks and time spent, DPIs can unlock significant value across all sectors.
Indeed, for India to reap the gains of this digital transition and harness the potential of DPIs, it is critical to understand patterns, flows and instruments for their long-term funding and sustainability. Our endeavour puts together an example-led playbook for financiers, DPI thinkers and governments to understand roles and responsibilities, and the repertoires of instruments for financing.
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