India pitches BRICS DPI Repository and pilot projects at Pune ICT Meet
Synopsis
India used the BRICS ICT Track meeting in Pune to pitch something bigger than a presentation — a shared Digital Public Infrastructure Repository that could let member nations plug into India's proven DPI stack. With a Communications Ministers' Meeting on 21 August, the next 48 hours could determine whether India's DPI model gets formal BRICS-wide backing.
Key Takeaways
India presented its Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) framework to BRICS nations at in-person sessions in Pune on 19 August 2025 .
India shared a concept note on a proposed BRICS DPI Repository and collaborative DPI pilot projects for member states.
The Focus Group on DPI , whose Terms of Reference were adopted in 2025 , received updates from its Chair and multiple member countries.
Core guiding principles include openness , interoperability , digital sovereignty , and national ownership .
Draft Terms of Reference for a Digital Applications Expert Group and a Digital Governance Expert Group were discussed.
The 12th BRICS Communications Ministers' Meeting is scheduled for 21 August , where ministerial endorsement could follow.
India formally presented its Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) framework to fellow BRICS nations on 19 August 2025 in Pune, advancing discussions on a proposed BRICS DPI Repository and collaborative pilot projects built around DPI solutions. The presentations took place as the Focus Group on DPI and the Digital BRICS Task Force convened on the second day of in-person sessions under the BRICS ICT Track, running alongside the 7th Meeting of the BRICS Working Group for Cooperation in ICTs.
India's DPI Pitch to BRICS
India shared its end-to-end DPI experience with member nations, drawing on its own deployments in areas such as digital identity, payments, and data exchange. The country also circulated a concept note outlining the architecture and governance model for the proposed BRICS Digital Public Infrastructure Repository — a shared platform intended to let member nations access, adapt, and deploy proven DPI solutions.
The Focus Group on DPI, whose Terms of Reference were formally adopted in 2025, received an update from its Chair alongside presentations from multiple member countries on their respective national digital infrastructure approaches. The session underscored DPI as a foundational enabler for affordable, inclusive, and citizen-centric digital services delivery.
Guiding Principles and Governance Framework
The discussions framed BRICS DPI cooperation around a set of core principles: openness, interoperability, digital sovereignty, and national ownership — while explicitly respecting each member's domestic laws, cybersecurity requirements, resilience standards, and privacy frameworks. This multi-principle approach reflects the bloc's effort to build shared infrastructure without compromising individual nations' regulatory autonomy.
Notably, the emphasis on digital sovereignty signals sensitivity among BRICS members — several of whom have divergent data-localisation regimes — about ceding control even within a cooperative framework.
Working Group Reviews and Upcoming Forums
The BRICS Working Group separately reviewed reports on webinars conducted during the year, covering capacity building for secure and inclusive digital telecom infrastructure, cooperation on submarine cable networks, and broader digital ecosystem collaboration among member states.
The Digital BRICS Task Force reviewed its annual activities and provided members with an overview of the forthcoming Digital BRICS Forum 2026. Members also deliberated on draft Terms of Reference for two proposed expert groups: a Digital Applications Expert Group and a Digital Governance Expert Group — both aimed at deepening technical and policy coordination within the bloc.
What Comes Next
The Working Group proceedings are scheduled to conclude on Wednesday, 20 August, ahead of the Digital BRICS Forum and Expo on the same day. The 12th BRICS Communications Ministers' Meeting follows on 21 August, where ministerial-level endorsement of the DPI framework and repository concept could give the initiative formal political momentum. The Pune sessions mark a significant step in India's broader effort to export its DPI model as a global template for inclusive digital governance.
Point of View
If adopted, would entrench India's UPI-Aadhaar-DigiLocker architecture as an exportable template, giving New Delhi soft-power leverage within a bloc that includes China, a rival in the digital infrastructure export space. The tension between 'interoperability' and 'digital sovereignty' is real: BRICS members have sharply different data-localisation laws, and any shared repository will need to navigate that without becoming a lowest-common-denominator arrangement. The creation of two new expert groups — on Digital Applications and Digital Governance — suggests the bloc is institutionalising this agenda, but expert groups without binding mandates have historically moved slowly in multilateral settings. The Ministers' Meeting on 21 August is the real test of political will.
NationPress
18 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the proposed BRICS DPI Repository?
The BRICS DPI Repository is a concept proposed by India at the Pune ICT Track meeting on 19 August 2025. It would function as a shared platform allowing BRICS member nations to access, adapt, and deploy proven Digital Public Infrastructure solutions, drawing on experiences like India's own DPI deployments in payments and digital identity.
Where and when was the BRICS ICT Track Meeting held?
The in-person sessions of the BRICS ICT Track Meeting were held in Pune, with the Focus Group on DPI and the Digital BRICS Task Force meeting on 19 August 2025 — the second day of proceedings. The Working Group sessions are scheduled to conclude on 20 August 2025.
What are the key principles guiding BRICS DPI cooperation?
The framework is guided by principles of openness, interoperability, digital sovereignty, and national ownership, while respecting each member country's domestic laws, cybersecurity standards, resilience requirements, and privacy frameworks.
What expert groups were discussed at the meeting?
Members discussed draft Terms of Reference for two new bodies: a Digital Applications Expert Group and a Digital Governance Expert Group. Both are intended to deepen technical and policy coordination among BRICS nations on digital infrastructure matters.
What major events follow the Pune working group sessions?
The Digital BRICS Forum and Expo is scheduled for 20 August, followed by the 12th BRICS Communications Ministers' Meeting on 21 August 2025. Ministerial-level discussions could provide formal political backing for the DPI Repository concept and other cooperative initiatives.
