India is a massive country with over 1.4 billion people, recently overtaking China with the world’s largest population. Twenty-eight states and eight union territories comprise an entire economy, with one of the largest GDPs worldwide at 3.49 trillion in 2022.
India’s digital revolution steers the country forward with digital literacy initiatives, e-payments, and rural development.
Here’s an overview of the digital landscape in India and how technology is transforming the country.
Digital India
Under the motto “Power to Empower,” the Government of India launched Digital India (DI) in July 2015. Both the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology carried out the program.
The government sought to deliver online services to citizens by improving digital infrastructure. With enhanced internet connectivity, India emerged as the top leader in the global digital economy.
An Aadhaar program gave Indians a unique I.D. number with digital biometric cards to increase the efficiency of various government services and subsidies.
Delivering high-speed internet networks to rural areas in India helped boost the number of internet subscribers to 500 million by 2017.
Under the Department of Telecommunications and Ministry of Communications, the BharatNet project oversaw the construction of the National Optical Fibre Network. That network delivered a minimum of 100 Mbit/s broadband speed to users.
The DI program established many other initiatives like e-Governance meetings, land record management via Bhudaar, crop analysis through electronic crop booking, and a loan app for farmers to engage with financial institutions.
Online Gaming and Gambling in India
There were 390 million online gamers in India in 2021, an 8% increase from the previous year. The gaming market could grow from $2.8 billion in 2022 to $5 billion in 2025. By 2023, there may be 450 million online gamers in the country.
The profitability of India’s gaming sector helped tech companies like Nazara Technologies, Mech Mocha Game Studios, and 99Games. E-sports grew in popularity as India became the most prominent fantasy sports market.
Indian law oversees online platforms with real money games. Skill-based games are mostly permitted at the state level, while games of chance operate in a legal gray area.
Goa and Sikkim allow gambling at land-based casinos. There’s no federal law that bans online gambling outright in India. However, some states passed legislation prohibiting it.
Indian players must deposit in Rupees, done best with an e-wallet. With the rising popularity of online casinos, many offshore options exist—especially those with deposits and withdrawals in crypto.
Sports enthusiasts may want to try reputable platforms like USBet or BetOnline. For online slots, Las Atlantis Casino is an entertaining option.
E-Commerce in India
Investment in e-commerce firms increased in India with digital literacy expansion. The e-commerce market in the country may reach $111 billion in 2024 and $200 billion by 2026. By 2030, the market may be worth an astounding $350 billion.
The DI program revolutionized technology across India by increasing the number of internet connections to 830 million by 2021. Almost all the connections in urban areas became wireless. By 2026, there might be one billion smartphone users in India.
These factors contribute to the country’s e-commerce sector, including rising income growth among the population. Business changes include online grocery shopping, which may increase from $3.95 billion in 2021 to $26.93 billion in 2027.
As the country began its 5G network launch in October 2022, the e-commerce sector has already produced digital exchange deals with Amazon India and Walmart.
StartUp India
Launched in January 2016, StartUp India designated three areas of interest to boost entrepreneurship. The government helped to create 75 startups through various technology-related branches.
Initiatives included a 17,000-square foot Technological Research and Innovation Park in Andhra Pradesh for research and development and a 13-acre Startup Campus to support startups in Kerala.
By February 2023, the government recognized over 92,000 startups in India as the country continued to promote innovation through various technologies.
Technology and Innovation
India remains one of the world’s largest exporters of Information Technology (IT) services. As a significant technology and innovation hub, international companies rely on India to help manage their front-and-back-end issues.
India plans to establish as many robots as engineers to compete for 24/7 in global IT services. As of 2020, the country’s manufacturing sector used 25,000 robots.
In the next two decades, India may also become a top region for artificial intelligence (AI).
Will India Become a Capital for AI?
India’s AI market, valued at $6.4 billion, ranked second in the Asia-Pacific region in 2020. With a booming startup industry, companies continue to research, develop, and patent AI tools and products.
India plans to target $5 trillion for their GDP, and AI may account for about 10% of that figure. By 2025, AI might make up as much as $500 of the country’s GDP and nearly $1 billion by 2035.
Services from India’s “AI for All” program include Crowd Estimation and Management and a mobile app that detects cataracts.
Technology continues to revolutionize India in fascinating ways.
