Open digital ecosystems are next frontier for Digital India: Omidyar-BCG
Aug 28, 2020
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], Aug 28 : India is on the cusp of a paradigm shift in the way digital solutions are being deployed for large-scale societal impact, according to a new report by Omidyar Network India Boston Consulting Group (BCG) released on Friday.
It said India is at an inflection point in its digitisation journey. Over the course of a decade, India has undergone a digital revolution -- from modest beginnings of downloading forms and being able to view the status of an application online to paying taxes online and receiving welfare payments digitally.
"And today, we stand at a new frontier. India is leading the world in building the shared digital infrastructure that can be leveraged by both government and private sector to unlock new solutions and enhance citizen experience."
The report describes this approach of designing technology infrastructure which can unlock economic and societal value while minimising risks and possible harms as open digital ecosystems (ODEs).
ODEs are defined as open and secure digital platforms that enable a community of actors to unlock transformative solutions for society based on a robust governance framework.
It identifies three layers to help bring an ODE to life -- digital platforms comprising technology infrastructure and solutions built on top, a community comprising builders, facilitators and end-users, and the third layer of governance which consists of laws and rules and the accountable institutions that uphold them.
The report estimates that by 2030, 10 high potential national ODEs in sectors like health, agriculture and justice can collectively create new economic value of over 500 billion dollars (Rs over 35 lakh crore) or nearly 5.5 per cent of the projected GDP in 2030 besides generating 200 billion dollars (R 15 lakh crore) in savings.
The report builds on the ideas laid out in a whitepaper on national ODEs which was published earlier this year for public consultation by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY).
In addition to elaborating the impact potential and key risks of ODEs, the report also offers a set of guiding principles and a practical toolkit that provide a how-to guide for practitioners to take this movement forward.
