Says “From seamless digital payments to direct benefit transfers technology has become a powerful instrument for furthering ‘Ease of Living
New Delhi:Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday marked the 11th anniversary of the Digital India initiative, describing it as a transformative programme that has reshaped governance, empowered citizens and laid a strong foundation for a developed and self-reliant India.
In a series of posts on social media platform X, the Prime Minister said the flagship initiative has revolutionised public service delivery, accelerated innovation and improved the ease of living for millions of Indians through technology-driven governance.
“Today, we mark 11 years since the Digital India initiative was launched. This initiative has redefined governance, empowered citizens and accelerated all-round development. It has touched every aspect of life,” Modi said.
Highlighting the programme’s achievements, he said seamless digital payments, direct benefit transfers and the rapid expansion of India’s digital public infrastructure have made governance more transparent, efficient and accessible.
“From seamless digital payments and direct benefit transfers reaching beneficiaries with transparency to the expanding digital public infrastructure, technology has become a powerful instrument for furthering ‘Ease of Living,'” the Prime Minister wrote.
Modi said the Digital India mission has spurred innovation across the country, extending opportunities beyond metropolitan centres to villages and smaller cities. According to him, young entrepreneurs, startups and innovators from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities are increasingly developing solutions to address pressing global challenges.
“Digital India has taken the wave of innovation to all parts of India, especially villages, Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. Young entrepreneurs, startups and innovators from every corner of the country are creating solutions to the pressing challenges that our planet faces,” he said.
The Prime Minister added that the initiative has strengthened key sectors such as education, healthcare, agriculture, commerce and public service delivery by leveraging digital technologies.
“This initiative has strengthened education, healthcare, agriculture, commerce and public service delivery, making governance more transparent, efficient and accessible,” he said.
Looking ahead, Modi said India’s growing capabilities in emerging technologies would create new opportunities for economic growth and innovation.
“Our strides in the digital world have ensured that India is making rapid progress in emerging technologies such as AI, semiconductors, quantum computing and more. This too will open new avenues for growth and opportunity. Our focus will remain on creating a future where technology serves humanity, empowers every citizen and drives sustainable development,” he said.
In a separate post, the Prime Minister described Digital India as a key pillar of the country’s journey towards becoming a developed nation.
“Digital India is a strong foundation of a developed and self-reliant India. Over the past 11 years, it has played a significant role in empowering the poor and the underprivileged while making the lives of citizens easier. From the expansion of the optical fibre network to the widespread adoption of digital transactions, the unprecedented success of this initiative has drawn the world’s attention to India,” he said.
Emphasising the scale of India’s digital transformation, Modi added in another post: “When over a billion people embrace technology, the impact is transformative!”
Launched on July 1, 2015, the Digital India programme aims to transform the country into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.
The initiative focuses on expanding digital infrastructure, improving digital access to government services, promoting digital literacy and encouraging innovation through technology.
Over the past decade, the programme has been instrumental in the expansion of broadband connectivity, digital identity through Aadhaar integration, Unified Payments Interface (UPI)-based transactions, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanisms and the development of digital public infrastructure, which has gained international recognition as a model for inclusive digital governance.
