New Delhi: Over the past 11 years, India has seen major changes through the use of technology. From banking and public services to space and defence, digital tools have made systems faster, more transparent, and more inclusive.
This transformation has helped even the most remote villages connect with national progress.
Digital payments
Digital payments have become a big part of everyday life in India. The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) now supports over 460 million users and 65 million merchants. In March 2025 alone, Indians made over 18,000 million transactions worth Rs 24.77 lakh crore using UPI. Nearly half of these were small payments, showing how widely digital payments are used.
Aadhaar has also made financial services and government benefits easier to access. With over 141 crore Aadhaar IDs issued, it helps verify identity quickly and securely. Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), linked with Aadhaar, has helped stop fake beneficiaries and saved the government over Rs 3.48 lakh crore. People now receive their subsidies and welfare payments directly and on time.
Better connectivity and internet access
India has made huge progress in mobile and internet infrastructure. Since 2016, 4G coverage has expanded widely, and 5G was rolled out in October 2022. By mid-2025, there are 4.74 lakh 5G towers in place, covering 99.6% of districts.
The BharatNet project has connected over 2.14 lakh Gram Panchayats with high-speed internet using nearly 7 lakh km of optical fibre. This has brought internet access even to rural areas and reduced the digital divide.
Improved public services
Technology has changed how people access government services. For example, the CoWIN portal helped manage over 220 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses efficiently, and India’s digital vaccination model is now studied by other countries.
Common Services Centres (CSCs) are helping citizens access services like banking, education, and healthcare locally. As of January 2025, there are 5.97 lakh CSCs operating, with most of them in rural areas.
Bridging language and digital gaps
To make technology accessible to all, initiatives like BHASHINI are making digital services available in over 35 Indian languages. PMGDISHA has trained over 6.39 crore rural citizens in digital literacy, helping them use mobile phones, access services, and stay informed.
Karmayogi Bharat and the iGOT portal are helping train government employees across India. Over 1 crore officials have registered, taking courses to improve their skills and deliver better services.
India’s strategic tech push
India is also building its strength in advanced technology. The IndiaAI Mission is developing AI systems responsibly with an investment of over Rs 10,000 crore. India’s compute capacity has already crossed 34,000 GPUs.
The India Semiconductor Mission, with Rs 76,000 crore in support, is helping set up chip and display manufacturing plants. By May 2025, six major projects worth over Rs 1.55 lakh crore had been approved, including a major plant near Jewar airport by HCL and Foxconn.
In defence, India’s local production reached an all-time high of Rs 1.27 lakh crore in FY 2023–24, supported by government policies that ban the import of certain defence items to promote local manufacturing.
Rise in space technology
India is now recognised as a global space power. ISRO has launched over 100 missions in the past 11 years. The Chandrayaan-3 mission made India the first to land near the Moon’s south pole. India now plans to launch its own space station by 2035 and conduct a human spaceflight mission in 2027 under the Gaganyaan program.
