01 JUL 2025, New Delhi
On the occasion of Digital India’s 10th anniversary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a heartfelt article reflecting on the remarkable journey of one of India’s most impactful initiatives. Launched in 2015, Digital India was more than just a government program, it became a movement that empowered citizens, connected villages, and created opportunities for millions.
The Prime Minister wrote on X:
“As we mark #10YearsOfDigitalIndia, shared a few thoughts on LinkedIn, on how this initiative has positively impacted India’s growth trajectory.”
Trusting the People, Building the Future
Ten years ago, many questioned whether a vast and diverse country like India could go truly digital. Back then, internet access was patchy, digital literacy was low, and government services were mostly offline.
But the government chose to trust the people of India. The Digital India mission aimed to bring services to every doorstep, from urban hubs to the most remote corners of the country.
Prime Minister Modi put it simply:
“While decades were spent doubting the ability of Indians to use technology, we changed this approach and trusted the ability of Indians to use technology.”
From Limited Access to a Digital Explosion
In 2014, India had just 25 crore internet connections. Today, that number has crossed 97 crore. Over 42 lakh km of Optical Fibre Cable, 11 times the distance from Earth to the Moon, now connects towns, villages, and even remote army posts in Ladakh, Siachen, and Galwan.
India’s 5G rollout is one of the fastest globally, and we now have a solid digital backbone known as India Stack. Thanks to it, platforms like UPI handle 100+ billion digital transactions each year, more than any other country.
Schemes like Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) have moved over ₹44 lakh crore directly to people’s bank accounts, cutting out middlemen and saving ₹3.48 lakh crore in leakages.
Opportunities for All: From Villages to Startups
Digital India has been a game-changer for small businesses, artisans, and entrepreneurs. Platforms like:
- ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce) help local sellers reach customers across India, without being tied to big e-commerce platforms.
- GeM (Government eMarketplace) lets individuals and small firms sell directly to government departments.
These platforms are not just supporting the economy, they’re making it fairer and more inclusive. From Banarasi weavers to bamboo artisans in Nagaland, everyone now has a digital platform to grow.
Global Impact, Local Success
India’s digital infrastructure, Aadhaar, DigiLocker, CoWIN, FASTag, PM-WANI, is now studied and adopted by countries around the world.
- DigiLocker has over 775 crore documents and 54 crore users.
- CoWIN enabled the world’s largest vaccination drive with 220 crore certificates issued.
India also launched a Global Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Repository and a $25 million fund to help other developing countries adopt inclusive digital solutions.
India’s Startup and AI Revolution
India is now home to over 1.8 lakh startups, making it one of the top three startup ecosystems in the world. But this isn’t just about businesses, it’s about ideas and innovation.
With the India AI Mission, the government is making access to computing power (like GPUs) affordable for students and startups. India is also promoting ethical and inclusive use of Artificial Intelligence, through efforts like the New Delhi Declaration on AI.
A Digital Future for the World
Prime Minister Modi concluded his article with a powerful message:
“Let us build what empowers. Let us solve what truly matters. Let us lead with technology that unites, includes, and uplifts.”
Digital India has become the foundation of a New India, self-reliant, globally connected, and future-ready. As we step into the next decade, India is not just going digital, it is becoming a global digital leader.
Source: PIB Delhi, LinkedIn
