NITI Aayog Unveils DPI@2047 Roadmap to Drive India’s Next Digital Growth Phase

NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery highlighted a key shift in India’s development strategy—from focusing solely on GDP growth to prioritising productivity gains.

India is set to enter a new phase of digital transformation with the launch of DPI@2047 for Viksit Bharat, a strategic roadmap aimed at leveraging Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) to drive productivity-led, inclusive growth at scale.

Unveiled on April 27, 2026, the roadmap marks a shift from digital inclusion to building nationwide capabilities, livelihoods, and economic opportunity, positioning digital infrastructure as the backbone of India's long-term development vision.

From Innovation to Scaled Impact

The roadmap reflects a fundamental change in how technological advantage is defined. It is no longer driven solely by innovation, but by the ability to connect innovations across sectors and scale them rapidly across populations.

In this evolving landscape, digital rails—such as identity, payments, and data systems—are becoming critical enablers, allowing ideas and services to move from pilot stages to nationwide impact.

Two-Phase Digital Transformation Strategy

The DPI@2047 roadmap outlines a two-phase approach:

• DPI 2.0 (2025–2035): Focused on livelihood-led growth and productivity at scale

• DPI 3.0 (2035–2047): Aimed at achieving broad-based prosperity

The immediate emphasis is on DPI 2.0, which seeks to unlock economic potential across key sectors.

Eight Sectoral Transformations Identified

Under DPI 2.0, the roadmap targets structural bottlenecks across critical sectors, including:

• MSMEs

• Agriculture

• Education

• Healthcare

It also focuses on strengthening enabling systems such as:

• Credit access

• Decentralised energy

• Digital benefit delivery

Four Execution Imperatives for Scale

To ensure effective implementation, the roadmap outlines four key strategies:

• District-led demand aggregation to localise adoption

• Scaling technology entrepreneurship

• Leveraging artificial intelligence (AI)

• Cross-sector integration through improved data use and digital transactions

These measures aim to ensure that digital transformation translates into real-world economic outcomes, particularly for small businesses and citizens.

Expanding India's Digital Rails

DPI 2.0 builds on the success of India's existing digital ecosystem—such as Aadhaar and UPI—by extending these "digital rails" into areas that directly impact livelihoods, productivity, and market access.

The approach emphasises:

• Open and interoperable systems

• Trusted data flows

• Ecosystem-driven innovation

This framework is expected to accelerate the mass adoption of emerging technologies like AI, enabling them to benefit citizens and small enterprises at scale.

Shift Toward Productivity-Led Growth

NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery highlighted a key shift in India's development strategy—from focusing solely on GDP growth to prioritising productivity gains.

"Harnessing networks has been central to our progress so far. The next phase will depend on how AI and DPI can raise productivity across the economy," he said.

AI and DPI to Define Future Leadership

Principal Scientific Adviser Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood emphasised that global technological leadership will increasingly depend on the ability to translate innovation into scalable public outcomes.

India's strength lies in its open, interoperable digital systems, which can be combined with AI to deliver impactful solutions across sectors.

States at the Centre of Transformation

The roadmap also places strong emphasis on state-level implementation, recognising that regional growth is key to national progress.

"When states grow fast, India grows faster," said NITI Aayog CEO Nidhi Chhibber, highlighting DPI's role in enabling inclusive development across regions.

India's Edge in the Global AI Race

Experts note that India's Digital Public Infrastructure provides a unique competitive advantage in the global AI landscape.

Rather than focusing only on advanced models and hardware, India's strategy centres on scaling AI adoption across the economy, improving livelihoods, and enhancing productivity—particularly in vernacular and grassroots contexts.

Execution Key to Success

While the roadmap sets an ambitious vision, its success will depend on effective execution at the district level, supported by strong governance, interoperability, and safeguards.

By aligning digital infrastructure with economic priorities, DPI@2047 aims to create a non-linear growth trajectory, accelerating India's journey toward becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047.