How did the G20 give its nod to DPI?
In the riveting series The Diplomat, Hal Wyler elegantly illustrates that diplomacy often feels like a futile dance, endlessly circling the same point. But then, he clarifies, it works.
India’s recent success at the G20 leaders’ summit, underscored by the compelling New Delhi declaration, is a testament to the rise of its diplomacy. Amidst the vibrant cultural displays, India’s diplomatic corps, along with the international departments within various line ministries, silently yet effectively laboured a historic consensus in these divisive times. Their efforts culminated in significant documents addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
Hal’s words particularly struck a chord with me during the recent negotiations of the Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG), under India’s G20 presidency. As a member of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), India, a pivotal moment was the midnight of August 18, 2023, as we reached ground-breaking consensus on Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). A transformative idea that centres on digital systems that address core societal functions, from identification and fast payments to secure data exchange.
But how did we navigate the seemingly insurmountable barriers of international multilateral negotiations in the G20, a forum that represents around 85% of global GDP and encompasses two-thirds of the world’s population?
The documentation process began with an issue note that kickstarted discussions in each working group. Over four meetings, every line and nuance of the proposed ministerial declaration was negotiated.
The working group meetings were chaired by the presidency’s respective line ministry, in this case, Ministry of Electronics and IT. The chairperson conducted the working group gatherings alongside numerous bilateral and inter-sessional meetings, ensuring that all perspectives found representation. The complexity of G20 lies in its consensus-driven approach; any disagreement could mean a lack of resolution.
Our journey with DPI was both exhilarating and daunting. Across various nations, similar concepts existed but with different nomenclatures: Digital public goods, public digital platforms, or region-specific titles like Singapore’s ‘digital utility stack’ and India’s ‘India stack’. The essence, however, is universal: DPIs are the contemporary equivalent of the 20th-century rail and road infrastructure, offering infrastructure systems and solutions for the digital economy.
While the ‘D’ in DPI did not pose any challenges, the nuances around ‘P’ and ‘I’ were harder to decipher. The Indian example combines ID creation by the government with payment systems overseen by a semi-government entity. However, data-sharing mechanisms are predominantly managed by the non-profit ecosystem. Internationally, there are instances where private entities have developed DPI, such as PromptPay in Thailand.
The Outcome Document concludes that ‘public’ in DPI refers to its availability for the public’s benefit and access but with the prerequisite of governance and oversight by public authorities.
The ‘I’ also was a point of contention, as there was confusion about whether DPI includes hardware infrastructure such as submarine cables and telecom facilities. However, reaffirming the criticality of the functionalities of ID, payments and data in the digital economy, the ‘infrastructure’ in DPI denotes the services it offers, rather than its physical form. It is termed infrastructure as it allows others to build solutions on top of it, serving as digital rails, and providing for shared means to many ends.
The struggle at the DEWG wasn’t just about settling terminology. When DPI was first introduced to the G20 floor, it was met with scepticism. The initial sessions involved extensive clarifications, identification of the global prevalence of DPI-like systems and highlighting of their relevance through empirical evidence. Our knowledge partners at the BMGF, World Bank and UNDP proved invaluable in this endeavour.
But the winds began to shift by the month of May. When major global forums and leaders, from the India-EU Trade and Technology Council to the UN Secretary-General, began endorsing DPI, the underlying potential became evident. Similarly, our third working group meeting in Pune was witness to the growing momentum, as the G20 members began to both appreciate and rally around the DPI agenda.
Fast forward to our 4th working group meeting in Bengaluru in mid-August. Despite the exhaustive groundwork, there was some nervousness in our camp. However, after marathon negotiations, a consensus emerged in the early hours of August 19th. The elation in the room was palpable. The herculean efforts had borne fruit; the G20’s DEWG had officially endorsed DPI.
As Wyler discerningly noted, diplomacy is gruelling until suddenly, it isn’t. The DEWG’s triumph is a testament to that sentiment. Our unwavering commitment to DPI had paid off.
From the beginning, our ambition was evident. Yet, we never hesitated to address any question, no matter the effort it entailed. Through this journey, we also developed our ability to articulate information in a manner ensuring every stakeholder is able to grasp the nuances of DPI.
Alas, Wyler was right. Persistence in diplomacy is the game-changer. The hard-fought victory of securing the G20’s nod for DPI, an approach poised to revolutionise global digital development, remains a testament to that unyielding spirit.
Finally, after spending nearly two weeks in the US attending discussions and sessions on DPI in both DC and New York, our pride is immeasurable. A small team, brilliantly led by Sushil Pal, Joint Secretary, MeitY, has achieved what many thought was impossible. We have brought the DPI conversation to the UNGA, with a significant mention of our contributions. We firmly believe this is just the beginning, both for India and the DPI community. The G20 nod to DPI only paves the way to collaboratively build and deploy these vital tools that promise exponential growth worldwide.
How did I get to be part of this?
I have been an International Innovation Corps (University of Chicago Trust) Fellow for the last one year and was deployed in the International Cooperation Division of MeitY.
Where are the document that I just mentioned ?
New Delhi Declaration
Digital Economy : Outcome Document and chair summary
Recommended readings on DPI
What is DPI? By David Eaves and Jordan Sandman
Defining DPI. By Co-Develop
How digital public infrastructure supports empowerment, inclusion, and resilience? By the World Bank
DPI Playbook. By UNDP
Anything else? here are some podcasts that I’ve recorded
How did the G20 build consensus
Digital ID’s with Jonathan Marskell
A deep dive into DPG’s with Liv Nordhaug
