Digital Public Infrastructure: India signs MoUs with 24 nations, UPI handles 49% of global real-time payments
Synopsis
India's Digital Public Infrastructure story is no longer domestic — it is a foreign policy asset. With MoUs in 24 countries, UPI live in eight nations, and a 49% share of global real-time payments, Digital India at 11 is less a government programme and more a quietly expanding global standard.
Key Takeaways
India has signed DPI cooperation MoUs with 24 countries as of February 2026 , covering digital identity, payments, data exchange, and service delivery.
UPI is live in more than eight countries , including the UAE , Singapore , France , Mauritius , and Sri Lanka .
India accounts for nearly 49 per cent of worldwide real-time digital transaction volume.
The digital economy contributes 12–14 per cent of India's GDP and is projected to reach around one-fifth over the next decade.
The Digital India Programme completes 11 years on 1 July 2026 , built on a nine-pillar framework.
India Stack Global and the Global DPI Repository were launched during India's G20 Presidency in 2023 .
India has signed memoranda of understanding with 24 countries for cooperation on India Stack and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) systems — covering digital identity, payments, data exchange, and service delivery — as of February 2026, according to an official fact-sheet released on Saturday, 27 June 2026. The disclosure comes as the Digital India Programme approaches its 11th anniversary on 1 July 2026, marking a defining milestone in the country's technology-driven governance journey.
India's DPI Footprint Goes Global
India launched India Stack Global and the Global DPI Repository during its G20 Presidency in 2023, opening access to Indian digital solutions for partner nations. UPI is now live in more than eight countries, including the UAE, Singapore, France, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka, according to the fact-sheet. Platforms such as Aadhaar, DigiLocker, CoWIN, GeM, DIKSHA, UMANG, and eSanjeevani are, the fact-sheet noted, 'increasingly shaping international digital governance models.'
Scale of India's Digital Economy
India now accounts for nearly 49 per cent of worldwide real-time digital transaction volume through UPI, making it the single largest contributor to global instant payments. The digital economy currently contributes an estimated 12–14 per cent of India's GDP and is projected to reach approximately one-fifth of GDP over the next decade, according to the official fact-sheet.
Over the past 11 years, India has built one of the world's largest DPI ecosystems. Digital platforms have expanded access to healthcare, education, skilling, agriculture, and welfare delivery — particularly in rural and underserved regions, the fact-sheet said.
The Nine-Pillar Framework
The Digital India Programme was structured around nine pillars designed to provide a unified framework for expanding digital access and fostering innovation. It has since accelerated startup growth, technology adoption, and strengthened India's capabilities in Artificial Intelligence, cloud computing, and cybersecurity.
Road Ahead: Viksit Bharat 2047
As India charts its course toward the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, Digital India is being positioned as the backbone of inclusive growth, technological self-reliance, and citizen empowerment. The continued international uptake of India Stack signals a broader ambition: to export not just products, but an entire governance architecture built on open, interoperable digital rails.
Point of View
But the more consequential metric is adoption velocity in the Global South, where India Stack could lock in interoperability standards before others do. The risk is execution at the bilateral level: MoUs are not deployments, and the gap between signing and going live has historically been wide.
NationPress
27 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and why is it significant?
India's DPI is a set of open, interoperable digital platforms — including Aadhaar, UPI, DigiLocker, and CoWIN — that underpin identity, payments, and service delivery at population scale. It is significant because India has built one of the world's largest such ecosystems over 11 years and is now exporting the model to other countries through MoUs and the Global DPI Repository.
How many countries has India signed DPI cooperation MoUs with?
India has signed MoUs with 24 countries for cooperation on India Stack and DPI systems as of February 2026, covering digital identity, payments, data exchange, and service delivery, according to an official fact-sheet.
What share of global real-time payments does UPI handle?
UPI handles nearly 49 per cent of worldwide real-time digital transaction volume, making India the single largest contributor to global instant payments, according to the official fact-sheet released on 27 June 2026.
When does the Digital India Programme complete 11 years?
The Digital India Programme completes 11 years on 1 July 2026. It was built around nine pillars to expand digital access and foster innovation across healthcare, education, agriculture, and welfare delivery.
How much does the digital economy contribute to India's GDP?
The digital economy currently contributes an estimated 12–14 per cent of India's GDP and is projected to account for approximately one-fifth of GDP over the next decade, according to the official fact-sheet.
