Government to Establish Centre of Excellence for R&D in Digital Public Infrastructure and Goods
The government is planning to establish a centre of excellence dedicated to research and development in digital public infrastructure (DPI) and digital public goods (DPG).
“There is a significant number of applications within the DPI space that are built on protocols developed by both public and private sectors. Now, it is essential to involve universities, colleges, research institutes, and academics to innovate on these existing models,” an official stated.
This new centre will also spearhead the implementation and coordination of plans for the proliferation of DPI and DPG in G20 nations and the Global South. For instance, several countries have expressed interest in creating an Aadhaar-like identification system for their citizens. With the centre of excellence serving as a central point of contact, implementing these schemes in other countries will be streamlined, the official added.
Digital public infrastructure and goods are developed through protocols established by state and central government agencies, as well as some private institutions. Companies and startups are encouraged to develop applications and services based on this underlying architecture.
Estimates suggest that the global market for DPGs could reach $100 billion in the next five to six years. According to EY, the development cost per person for a DPG in countries with populations exceeding 50 million can be as low as 74 US cents (approximately Rs 61).