Why in the News?

Africa Day (May 25) marks the anniversary of the founding of the Organisation of African Unity in 1963.In this context, India’s pivot towards digital diplomacy in Africa marks a significant evolution in South-South development cooperation.

How is India supporting Africa’s digital shift?

• Sharing Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI): India is sharing scalable and affordable DPI models like Aadhaar (digital ID), UPI (digital payments), and DIKSHA (digital education). Eg: In 2024, the Bank of Namibia partnered with NPCI to develop a UPI-like payment system.
• Technical Collaboration and Capacity Building: India is collaborating with African countries for technical implementation and skills development. Eg: Togo partnered with IIIT-Bangalore to develop a national digital ID system using India’s open-source technology.
• Academic and Institutional Support: India is investing in long-term educational infrastructure to build digital talent. Eg: IIT Madras opened its first overseas campus in Zanzibar, offering courses in AI and Data Science.
• Tele-education and Telemedicine Platforms: Early initiatives like the Pan-African e-Network (2009) provided digital healthcare and education through satellite and fiber-optic systems. Eg: Enabled real-time learning and consultation from Indian institutions across several African nations.
• Promoting Open-Source and Inclusive Models: India promotes DPI as digital public goods, making them open-source and adaptable, unlike proprietary systems. Eg: Ghana linked its payment system to India’s UPI to facilitate fast and inclusive financial transactions.

Why is India’s digital diplomacy seen as distinct from that of countries like China or the U.S.?

• Public Good and Open-Source Model: India promotes its digital platforms as Digital Public Goods (DPGs)—open-source, scalable, and designed for inclusive access, unlike the proprietary models of the U.S. or surveillance-heavy systems of China. Eg: India’s open-source Modular Open-Source Identification Platform adopted by Togo shows its focus on affordability and public benefit.
• Co-development and Capacity Building: India emphasizes partnership over patronage, focusing on skill-building and co-creating solutions rather than just exporting tech or infrastructure. Eg: The IIT Madras campus in Zanzibar trains African students in AI and Data Science, linking digital growth with education and job creation.
• Respect for Local Priorities: India’s approach is non-impositional, engaging with African countries based on their needs without attaching strategic conditions, unlike U.S. or China’s often interest-driven engagements. Eg: Countries like Ghana and Zambia adopted India’s DPI voluntarily because it suited their national digital goals—not due to debt obligations or geopolitical pressure.

What challenges block Africa’s digital growth?

• High Cost of Digital Access: Expensive data and devices make it difficult for many people, especially in low-income and rural areas, to access digital services. Eg: In several African countries, mobile data costs over 5% of average monthly income, limiting internet usage.
• Digital Divide and Inequality: There is a significant rural-urban gap in internet connectivity and a gender gap in digital access and literacy. Eg: Women in sub-Saharan Africa are 37% less likely than men to use mobile internet, widening socio-economic disparities.
• Weak Energy Infrastructure: Reliable electricity is essential for digital services, but many African regions lack consistent power supply, slowing digital infrastructure deployment. Eg: In countries like Nigeria, frequent power outages disrupt digital services and internet reliability.

Way forward: 

• Enhance Affordable Access: Invest in low-cost internet infrastructure and subsidize digital devices to bridge the digital divide, especially in rural and underserved communities.
• Strengthen Energy and Digital Infrastructure: Expand renewable energy solutions and resilient digital networks to ensure reliable connectivity and power for sustained digital growth.

Mains PYQ:

[UPSC 2015]  Increasing interest of India in Africa has its pros and cons. Critically examine.

Linkage: The emergence of a digital partnership and the idea of an India-Africa digital compact are manifestations of this increasing interest. Examining the pros and cons of such engagement would involve considering various aspects, including digital collaboration.

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