India and Papua New Guinea sign MoU on sharing INDIA STACK
Source: PIB
GS II: Government Policies & Interventions
Overview
- News in Brief
- INDIA STACK
- Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)
Why in News?
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) in India and the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) in Papua New Guinea have recently entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the aim of exchanging a crucial technological innovation known as INDIA STACK.
News in Brief
- This innovative system comprises a set of open APIs and digital public goods that have been specially designed to make identity, data, and payment services more easily accessible on a large scale.
- This exchange is expected to bring significant benefits to both countries by enhancing their
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay digital capabilities and facilitating greater access to essential services.
- The event that took place recently focused on important aspects of digital transformation, including:
- Digital Public Infrastructure
- Digital Identity
- Digital Payment
- Data Exchange
- Data Governance
- Data Protection Policies, internet, and mobile connectivity
- During the event, participants engaged in discussions that revolved around these topics, with the aim of improving living standards and enhancing efficiency and transparency in governance.
- In order to achieve this, the MoU was signed, which will enhance capacities and facilitate sharing and implementation of population-scale Digital Public Infrastructure and Transformational Platforms/projects.
- It is expected that this will lead to significant improvements in the quality of life for citizens, as well as more effective and transparent governance practices.
- During the meeting, which took place in June 2023, India signed an MoU with four countries to share INDIA STACK.
- The event saw participation from over 150 foreign delegates from 50 countries, along with more than 250 delegates who attended the summit in-person.
- Additionally, over 2000 people attended the summit live.
INDIA STACK
- India Stack is also known as the IndiaStack ecosystem
- It is a set of digital infrastructure components and open APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) created by the Indian government to facilitate secure, paperless, and cashless delivery of various services to citizens
- It aims to leverage technology to improve:
- Financial inclusion
- Access to essential services
- Overall ease of doing business in India
- The India Stack ecosystem consists of the following key components:
- Aadhaar:
- Aadhaar is a 12-digit unique identification number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to residents of India.
- It serves as a digital identity for individuals and is linked to their biometric and demographic information.
- Aadhaar is crucial for various government and private services, including financial transactions.
- Unified Payments Interface (UPI):
- UPI is a real-time payment system that enables instant money transfer between bank accounts through mobile devices with the help of unique identifiers like Virtual Payment Addresses (VPAs) or Aadhaar numbers.
- UPI has been instrumental in driving digital payment adoption in India.
- Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN):
- GSTN is a technology platform that facilitates the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in India.
- It acts as a single point of access for all taxpayers and helps streamline the tax filing and compliance process.
- DigiLocker:
- DigiLocker is an online platform provided by the Government of India that allows citizens to store and access their important documents, in a secure digital format, such as:
- Educational certificates
- Driving licenses
- Other government-issued documents
- DigiLocker is an online platform provided by the Government of India that allows citizens to store and access their important documents, in a secure digital format, such as:
- Aadhaar:
- eSign:
- eSign is a digital signature service that allows individuals to electronically sign documents.
- It enables the use of Aadhaar-based digital signatures, making the process of signing documents more secure and convenient.
- eKYC (Electronic Know Your Customer):
- eKYC is a paperless and digital process for customer identification used by banks, financial institutions, and other service providers.
- It leverages Aadhaar-based biometric authentication for identity verification.
- India Stack APIs:
- The India Stack APIs are a set of standardized and open Application Programming Interfaces that allow developers and businesses to integrate various India Stack components into their applications and services easily.
- The India Stack ecosystem has had a transformative impact on various sectors in India, including banking, financial services, government services, and e-commerce.
- For millions of citizens, it has facilitated the rapid adoption of digital payments, reduced bureaucracy and paperwork, and improved access to essential services.
- However, it has also raised some concerns related to data privacy and security, which have been subjects of ongoing discussions and regulations.
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)
- The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is a department of the Government of India responsible for formulating and implementing policies related to information technology, electronics, and the promotion of digital initiatives in the country.
- It was established in 2016 and functions under the overall framework of the Government of India’s “Digital India” campaign, which aims to transform the nation into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.
- The key functions and responsibilities of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology include:
- Policy Formulation:
- MeitY formulates policies and strategies related to the growth and development of the electronics and information technology sectors in India.
- Promotion of Digital India:
- MeitY is tasked with driving the Digital India initiative, which focuses on expanding the reach of digital services, enhancing digital literacy, and ensuring the availability of digital infrastructure and services across the country.
- Electronics Manufacturing:
- The ministry works towards promoting and supporting domestic electronics manufacturing through various schemes and initiatives, such as the “Make in India” program.
- Cybersecurity:
- MeitY is responsible for formulating and implementing policies to ensure the security and integrity of India’s digital infrastructure.
- E-Governance:
- The ministry plays a vital role in the implementation of e-governance projects and initiatives, aiming to improve government services and make them accessible to citizens electronically.
- Digital Literacy:
- MeitY focuses on promoting digital literacy among citizens, particularly in rural and remote areas, to enable them to benefit from digital technologies and participate in the digital economy.
- IT Enabled Services:
- The ministry supports the growth of IT-enabled services, such as business process outsourcing (BPO), software development, and IT consulting, to foster India’s position as a global IT hub.
- Research and Development:
- MeitY also encourages research and development activities in the field of information technology and electronics, with a focus on indigenous innovation and technology development.
- Policy Formulation:
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