A report titled "The Digital Dominance - Catalyzing India's Rise as a Global Digital Leader" was unveiled at National Digital Summit 2023 (NDS 2023) organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). This report eloquently traces India's journey in the digital age and its substantial global impact. The report underscores the unprecedented opportunities arising from the widespread adoption of smartphones, enhanced Internet connectivity, and government initiatives aimed at fostering a digital economy. It articulates how digitization is poised to drive India's ambitious journey towards becoming a US$ 10 trillion economy by 2035, revolutionizing sectors such as finance, healthcare, education, and industry. The report identifies emerging technologies, including next-generation communications, the evolution of cloud computing, and India's aspirations in semiconductor innovation, as pivotal drivers of this digital transformation. The report was unveiled by the chief guest Mr. Saket S. Bhondve, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Looking ahead to 2035, the report anticipates that India is poised for a remarkable transformation, with technology as the cornerstone of its competitive advantage.
NDS 2023 themed “India: Digital frontier to the world” marked a significant milestone in India's pursuit of digital excellence, highlighting the power of collaboration among diverse stakeholders. The event commenced with welcoming remarks by Ms. Sandhya Devanathan, Chairperson of NDS-2023 and Vice President at Meta India. Ms. Devanathan underscored the pivotal role of digitalization in shaping India's future. She remarked, "With the continued vision of the Indian government to power this growth, the ability of technology to accelerate the pace of digitization, and the potential of public sector adoption to widely distribute the benefits of technology, this is a pivotal moment for India and the internet. It represents a huge opportunity to unlock our ‘demographic dividend’."
In his keynote address, Mr. Bhondve emphasized India's commitment to fostering an open, secure, accessible, and stable cyberspace environment conducive to innovation, economic growth, and sustainable development. He passionately advocated for responsible state behaviour in cyberspace and highlighted India's leadership role in advancing international economic cooperation in this domain. Mr. Bhondve proudly noted that India's Digital Public Infrastructure, known as India Stack, is now being exported to friendly countries in South America and Africa.
The inaugural session, titled "Pillars of Digital: Infrastructure, AI/ML, Skill Development, Policies, and their Impact on Public Sector and Enterprises.” Mr. Gautam Jena, Head of Strategy and New Products at ST Telemedia Global Data Centres India, emphasized the importance of building the capacity to adopt and leverage future technologies such as quantum computing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, 3D printing, and genomics. He commended the success of India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and suggested that its lessons could shape a thriving global AI ecosystem in the future.
The summit featured insightful sessions, including "Positioning India as a Leading Data Center Hub: Policies for Global Competitiveness," "Factors Fueling the Growth of Cloud Computing," and "Serving the World Through Digital India." These discussions laid the foundation for envisioning India's digital future and identifying concrete steps towards realizing that vision.
NDS 2023 served as a remarkable platform for the exchange of ideas, forging collaborations, and collectively envisioning India's digital future. It reaffirmed India's unwavering commitment to becoming a global digital leader, leaving an indelible mark on the future of digitalization.
5 October 2023
New Delhi