New Delhi, February 16: India and Colombia have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate on sharing successful digital solutions for digital transformation. The MoU aims to enhance digital transformation through capacity-building programs and the exchange of best practices between the two countries.
The MoU was exchanged between Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, and Mauricio Lizcano, Minister of IT and Communications of Colombia. The discussion emphasized the importance of Digital Public Infrastructures (DPIs), with India Stack solutions being highlighted as successful examples of DPIs implemented on a large scale to provide access and delivery of public services.
India Stack, which includes Aadhaar and unified payments interface (UPI), has played a significant role in India’s digitalization journey. It has had a positive impact on various sectors such as e-commerce, gaming, fintech, banking, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). India is determined to collaborate with Colombia to further develop and adopt Digital Public Infrastructure, building upon their existing digital transformation partnership.
India’s digital landscape has expanded beyond the Jan Dhan, Aadhar, and Mobile (JAM) trinity and now includes initiatives like the Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA), DigiLocker 2.0, Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), Account Aggregator (AA), and Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (Diksha). These initiatives have contributed to India’s ranking as the third-largest digitalized country among G20 nations, following the United States and China.
The MoU aims to facilitate the exchange of public officials and experts, the development of pilot or demo solutions, the fostering of private sector contacts, and the overall advancement of the digital ecosystems in both India and Colombia.
The collaboration between India and Colombia will not only promote digital transformation but also enable the sharing of knowledge, expertise, and technologies to benefit both nations. The extensive experience of India in implementing and scaling digital solutions will undoubtedly serve as a valuable resource for Colombia in its efforts to enhance public service delivery through technology.
As India’s tech industry continues to grow, reaching $253.9 billion in revenue in the fiscal year 2024, with a 3.8% growth from the previous year and adding 60,000 employees, India’s expertise in the digital domain is highly sought after. This MoU with Colombia further solidifies India’s position as a leader in digital transformation and sets the stage for mutual growth and development.
The MoU signifies the commitment of both countries to leverage digital technologies for the betterment of their societies. By sharing open-sourced digital public infrastructures, India and Colombia are paving the way for innovative and inclusive digital solutions that can address the evolving needs of their citizens.
The partnership between India and Colombia holds great potential for enhancing the digital landscape of both countries. As digital transformation becomes increasingly crucial in today’s world, collaborations like this will play a pivotal role in driving progress and enabling nations to harness the full potential of technology for the benefit of their citizens.
