Tech summit focuses on digital public infrastructure platform, AI integration

Bengaluru: India can play a crucial role in helping the developing world adopt digital public infrastructure (DPI) platforms, Seth Center, Acting Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technology, US Department of State, said here on Wednesday.

Speaking at the inaugural Global Technology Summit Innovation Dialogue, Center said India’s successful rollout of and global vision for DPI placed the country in position for a larger role as a technology enabler.

The two-day dialogue was hosted by think-tank Carnegie India and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Underlining DPI’s influence across areas, including the digitisation of government services, Center said the US was keen on partnering with India in the domain.

With technology emerging as integral to statecraft, the focus is on tailoring the upstream and downstream dimensions of technology stacks. Center noted that the scope of iCET (initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology) has expanded beyond a bilateral dialogue between India and the US, and become “a blueprint” for collaborations on technologies that have wide-ranging applications.

Delivering a virtual keynote address at the dialogue, Periasamy Kumaran, Special Secretary, MEA, said India, on the back of progress made in its DPI journey, was committed to helping other nations in adopting and scaling DPI platforms, through technology transfer and promotion of open-source technologies.

He highlighted DPI’s “transformative role” in areas such as financial inclusion, empowerment of small businesses, transparent delivery of citizens’ services, health data systems, disaster response, and micro-entrepreneurship.

“With the integration of AI, DPI can become the backbone of an interconnected, more efficient, and inclusive digital society,” he said.

The two-day dialogue featured discussions on themes at the intersection of DPI and AI, involving government officials, industry experts, startups, and researchers.