{"id":44106,"date":"2025-05-26T20:29:54","date_gmt":"2025-05-26T14:59:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=44106"},"modified":"2025-05-27T19:19:52","modified_gmt":"2025-05-27T13:49:52","slug":"new-india-africa-digital-compact","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/26-05-2025\/new-india-africa-digital-compact","title":{"rendered":"Time For a New India-Africa Digital Compact"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/International Relations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/03-04-2024\/india-and-africa\"><strong>India and Africa<\/strong><\/a> have been strengthening their collaboration on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/08-05-2024\/remarkable-journey-of-digital-public-infrastructure\"><strong>Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)<\/strong><\/a>, recognizing its potential to drive socio-economic development.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Africa\u2019s Evolving Digital Partnership<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Africa Day,<\/strong> commemorated on May 25, marks the formation of the <strong>Organisation of African Unity in 1963<\/strong>, symbolizes its pursuit of unity, independence, and sustainable development.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Africa prioritizes digital innovation for socio-economic progress, particularly through the <strong>African Union\u2019s Digital Transformation Strategy (2020-2030)<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Currently, <strong>85% of African countries<\/strong> have national ID systems with digital features.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Over <strong>70%<\/strong> collect biometric data for authentication.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>India\u2019s Role: From Infrastructure to Innovation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India\u2019s engagement with Africa has long combined <strong>state-led financing<\/strong> and <strong>capacity-building<\/strong>, supporting infrastructure, training, and concessional credit lines.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Over time, India\u2019s approach has evolved, increasingly incorporating <strong>social enterprises<\/strong> and <strong>technology-driven solutions<\/strong> that are both <strong>adaptable and community-oriented.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India\u2019s distinctive value lies in promoting DPI as a <strong>digital public good<\/strong>, offering a <strong>non-surveillance, open-source alternative<\/strong> to proprietary or state-controlled models. Its approach emphasizes <strong>state collaboration<\/strong> over mere technology transfer.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Recent Partnerships: India-Africa Digital Cooperation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Technology-Centric Model: <\/strong>India is transitioning to a <strong>technology-centric development model<\/strong>, extending beyond traditional aid to digital co-creation.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Pan-African e-Network<\/strong> launched in 2009, which used <strong>satellite and fibre-optic infrastructure<\/strong> to deliver telemedicine and tele-education services.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Governance-Centric Model:<\/strong> India is collaborating with African countries on <strong>DPI<\/strong> ecosystem, including Aadhaar, UPI, CoWIN, and DIKSHA (for education), and engaging with African nations to <strong>co-develop governance solutions<\/strong> tailored to <strong>local needs.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Development-Centric Model: <\/strong>These examples reflect Africa\u2019s growing interest in<strong> India\u2019s open, scalable, and affordable DPI models.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Togo (2021):<\/strong> Partnered with International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore to implement a national digital ID system using open-source platforms.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Zambia (2023):<\/strong> Collaborated with the Centre for Digital Public Infrastructure to advance its Smart Zambia Initiative.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Namibia (2024):<\/strong> Signed an MoU with India\u2019s NPCI to build a UPI-style instant payment system.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ghana:<\/strong> Linking its domestic payment system with UPI to enable seamless transactions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Zanzibar: IIT Madras\u2019 First Overseas Campus <\/strong>in Zanzibar signals a deeper alignment of education with digital development, including <strong>AI and Data Science.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Additionally, <strong>India, Brazil, and South Africa<\/strong>\u2014members of the <strong>G20 Troika<\/strong>\u2014have jointly emphasized the <strong>importance of DPI<\/strong> in bridging global inequality and accelerating progress toward the <strong>United Nations SDGs<\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Their declaration highlights the <strong>need for open, modular, interoperable, and scalable digital systems<\/strong> that prioritize inclusivity and adaptability.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Challenges To Transformation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Infrastructure Deficiency:<\/strong> Many African nations lack widespread broadband access, with <strong>only about 22% of the population<\/strong> using <strong>mobile internet<\/strong> services despite broader coverage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Energy infrastructure<\/strong> is a critical constraint; powering digital ecosystems requires investments in sustainable and reliable energy systems.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Affordability Issues: <\/strong>The cost of mobile data remains high, making digital access difficult for lower-income populations.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>digital divide<\/strong> remains the largest globally, shaped by high data\/device costs and rural-urban gaps.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A persistent <strong>gender gap<\/strong> hinders equitable access to digital tools and literacy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Digital Literacy Gaps:<\/strong> A lack of technical skills prevents many from fully utilizing digital tools.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Regulatory &amp; Policy Barriers:<\/strong> Inconsistent policies across African nations hinder seamless digital integration.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Way Forward: Strategies For India-Africa Mutual Growth<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Prioritizing Capacity-Building and Skill Development:<\/strong> Initiatives such as the <strong>Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) program<\/strong> and the <strong>Pan-African e-Network Project<\/strong> have strengthened local capacities in education, healthcare, and digital infrastructure.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ensuring Ethical and Inclusive Digital Growth:<\/strong> India\u2019s approach focuses on <strong>co-development rather than imposing rigid frameworks.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>By collaborating with African governments on <strong><em>policy alignment, data protection, and cybersecurity,<\/em><\/strong> India can help ensure that digital transformation is <strong><em>transparent, secure, and respects<\/em><\/strong> local governance structures.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strengthening Infrastructure and Connectivity:<\/strong> India has invested over $12 billion in <strong>concessional credit,<\/strong> completing more than 200 infrastructure projects across Africa, including railways, power generation, and rural electrification.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Encouraging Sustainable and Inclusive Digital Trade:<\/strong><strong>India is Africa\u2019s fourth-largest trading partner<\/strong>, with bilateral trade reaching $100 billion.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>By integrating African economies into India\u2019s digital payment systems, India can facilitate financial inclusion and cross-border trade.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Daily Mains Practice Question<\/strong><br><strong>[Q]<\/strong> How can India ensure that its digital engagement with African nations remains mutually beneficial, ethical, and sustainable?<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/opinion\/op-ed\/time-for-a-new-india-africa-digital-compact\/article69617797.ece\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Source: TH<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/UPSC-Editorial-Analysis-26-May-2025.PDF.pdf\">Download PDF<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>India and Africa have been strengthening their collaboration on Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), recognizing its potential to drive socio-economic development.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-44106","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-editorial-analysis"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44106","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44106"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44106\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":44214,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44106\/revisions\/44214"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44106"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44106"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44106"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}