India has launched its indigenously developed 5G infrastructure and is ready to share it with other countries as well, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on October 13.
“The story (of India’s 5G) is yet to reach the public,” Ms. Sitharaman said in her interaction with students at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).
“The 5G that we've launched in our country is completely standalone,” she said in response to a question.
“There could be some parts coming from, say, countries like (South) Korea, but (not) coming from somebody else. So complete indigenous technology that we can now provide 5G (to any country) who wants it,” she said.
“So, our 5G is not imported from somewhere else. It’s our own product,” Ms. Sitharaman said.
The 5G services were recently launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in select Indian cities and are likely to cover the entire nation by 2024, she said.
“On 5G, I think, we can be immensely proud of India's achievements,” Ms. Sitharaman said.
‘India has set a global benchmark in digitisation’
India today has set a global benchmark in digitisation, particularly in payment, Ms. Sitharamn said asserting that this has not only helped the country’s fight against COVID-19 and its economic fallout, but also given a sense of confidence that India’s growth story is sustainable in the long term.
“There were times when global benchmarks, global standards were the ones which India had to look up to and say we have to catch up to that level, we will have to learn how to do. There are still a lot of areas where we still have to learn a lot of things and do according to standards set elsewhere,” Ms. Sitharaman said
“But on the digital (side), be it payment, identity, health, education, be it also the way in which your compliance requirements are being taken care of, India has actually set standards. There are countries which recognise that this scale of achievement, this absolute what it proves that it is unfailing over the years over the numbers,… with expansive modesty we actually have set global benchmarks in the way in which digital economy and the systems and platforms can do for us and itself for India is a big confidence booster,” she added.
“Our economy is doing well, largely because the confidence in what has happened in the last two years is probably felt by people. And that is why I would think the economy's revival is on a sustained path,” she said.
“Because of the global recession, demand is going to externally, my exports are going to suffer and because of a strong dollar against my Indian rupee … all this taken on board, there is a sense of confidence in India that we will go through this and we'll be able to still perform.” “It's because of the way in which technology has been used for the public good. People are able to see that a constant approach is made for getting better credit, sustained businesses….,” she said. “These are the building blocks of India’s confidence,” she added.
Responding to a question, Ms. Sitharaman said the push for digitisation between 2014 and 2019 helped fight the economic crisis during COVID-19 and thereafter as well.
“The push that was given between 14 and 19 actually has helped us. And helped us in very many unbelievable ways. We were able to provide relief immediately during the long lockdown, even as all of us could remain in Delhi and press a button the money used to go to the account,” she said.
“Similarly, by that time, the public distribution system of the card that is given to the family had also been digitised. So, you knew how many people actually were where to take it and put it,” she said adding that during this period India also brought in one nation, one ration card.
“We believe that the target approach was possible because we were technologically well-networked. And because we were technologically well networked, and we had authenticated identities of people already well established, we were able to the targeted relief provision. That helped us in that. We reached out to section when needed,” she said.
‘India’s public goods available for countries which need it’
Observing digitalisation has become the biggest advantage in India in the last two years, the Union Finance Minister said that India’s public goods are available for countries that need them.
Ms. Sitharaman said the open-source network that the government of India has created as a public good is helping small and medium industries to scale up their operations.
Standing here I want to reiterate that India's public goods are available for countries which so they need it,” Ms. Sitharaman told the students during an interactive session on India’s unique Digital Public Goods.
The Minister asserted that India has a digital stack that other countries can use.
“So if India today can talk of a digital stack, it's not talking of just payment where UPI, which is today acceptable in Singapore, UAE, and many other countries,” she said.
“We are not talking of just Rupay cards, we are not talking of credit cards, we're not talking of checkbook, we're talking of QR codes, which an Android phone, not a smartphone, no apples, even anything else can just go to the business using a QR code, not just in India, but in countries with whom we've already agreed,” she said.
The National Payment Corporation of India has already had an agreement signed in France.
So, the apps that are under this larger umbrella of NPCI are all available there, be any other payment portal, the Minister said.
“These are not charged for these public goods that we have created.” Reiterating that Indian public goods are available in other countries, she cited the example that during COVID-19 pandemic India created an app wherein one could find the nearest hospital which could give them the vaccination for stores. And that platform would record it and immediately give them a certificate in the phone itself saying you've had this first dose in this first hospital, she said describing the other features of the app.
As a result of this, Indians travelling abroad didn't have to carry paper for proof of their vaccination. Now, this app is available for any country which wants it. “Now this is the way in which technology is transforming education,” she said.
Responding to a question, the Minister said that technology and its adaptation have become the biggest advantage for India in the last two years.
“In India, in the last two years, digitalisation has become the biggest advantage. And people are the reason for the way in which they have adapted it,” she said.
