'Technology Must Serve Humanity': PM Narendra Modi Marks 11 Years of Digital India

· Free Press Journal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked 11 years of the Digital India initiative, saying the programme has 'redefined governance, empowered citizens and accelerated all-round development' since its launch on July 1, 2015. In a post on X, Modi said the initiative has 'touched every aspect of life,' citing seamless digital payments, direct benefit transfers and expanding digital public infrastructure as instruments of what he called "Ease of Living."

From villages to tier-2, tier-3 cities

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Modi said the innovation wave driven by Digital India has reached 'all parts of India, especially villages, Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities,' with young entrepreneurs and startups across the country building solutions to global challenges. He added that the initiative has strengthened education, healthcare, agriculture, commerce and public service delivery, making governance 'more transparent, efficient and accessible.'

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A decade of infrastructure build-out

The anniversary comes against a backdrop of measurable expansion across India's digital public infrastructure stack. According to government data the digital economy now contributes an estimated 12 to 14 percent of the country's gross domestic product. India had 106.58 crore broadband subscribers by March 2026, with more than 650,000 Common Service Centres and 160,000 post offices offering digital services to citizens.

Aadhaar enrolment has surpassed 144 crore registrations as of March 2026, serving as a biometric identity platform for authentication across services. The JAM trinity of Jan Dhan accounts, Aadhaar and mobile connectivity has underpinned financial inclusion, with Jan Dhan accounts rising from 14.72 crore in March 2015 to 57.78 crore by February 2026, and deposits growing from Rs. 15,670 crore to Rs. 2.94 lakh crore over the same period.

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UPI and digital payments at scale

The Unified Payments Interface, launched in 2016, has seen transaction volumes grow from around two crore in financial year 2016-17 to more than 24,162 crore in financial year 2025-26. The International Monetary Fund had earlier recognised UPI as the world's largest retail fast payment system by transaction volume. UPI now operates in several countries including the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, France, Mauritius and Sri Lanka, extending India's footprint in global digital payments.

Digital documentation has also scaled through DigiLocker, which counted more than 70.69 crore registered users and over 850 crore issued documents by March 2026.

Electronics manufacturing and emerging tech

Modi's post also pointed to India's progress in emerging technologies such as AI, semiconductors and quantum computing as areas set to 'open new avenues for growth and opportunity.' Policy support for electronics manufacturing has meanwhile strengthened domestic production, with electronics output increasing from Rs. 1.9 lakh crore in financial year 2014-15 to approximately Rs. 12 lakh crore by March 2026, making India the world's second-largest mobile phone manufacturer.

Focus on 'technology that serves humanity'

Closing his post, Modi said the government's focus going forward would be on "creating a future where technology serves humanity, empowers every citizen and drives sustainable development." The Digital India programme was launched in 2015 with nine pillars spanning broadband infrastructure, universal mobile connectivity, e-governance reform and electronics manufacturing, and has since become a reference point for the government's broader push toward Digital Public Infrastructure.

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