Open Digital Ecosystems Have Potential to Contribute Rs 35 Lakh Crore in India by 2030, Around 5.5% of the Projected GDP: Report

Mumbai, August 28: Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Indian enterprises are increasingly working on their digital transformation. According to a joint report by investment firm Omidyar Network India and Boston Consulting Group, by 2030,  10 high potential national open digital ecosystems (NODEs) in sectors like health, agriculture and justice has the potential to create Rs 35 lakh crore in India by 2030.

This is expected to be around  5.5 per cent of the projected GDP in 2030, and also generate over Rs 15 lakh crore in savings.  Roopa Kudva, MD, Omidyar Network India said, "India has been a pioneer in the movement to build ‘digital highways.' We were one of the first developing countries to have a population scale Digital ID initiative, and have built digital payments infrastructure such as UPI."

The government was able to transfer Rs 37,000 crore directly to the bank accounts of 16 crore citizens using India's digital infrastructure even during the pandemic. However, Kudva stressed that critical issues like privacy must be taken care of.  ODEs are defined as open and secure digital platforms that enable a community of actors to unlock transformative solutions for society, based on a robust governance framework.

The report envisioned three layers – digital platforms, community and governance – to transform service delivery through ‘Responsible ODEs'. The ODE approach suggests that the government should focus on creating the ‘digital commons' and enable interoperability between siloed systems.

J Satyanarayana, Advisor, National Digital Health Mission and former chairperson, UIDAI said, "We need to raise the bar from systems-thinking to ecosystems-thinking. Digital ecosystems can evolve faster if we create the right environment, which includes open-standards-based architecture, data policies, collaborative design, and innovation."