Embassy of India in Kathmandu Hosts Seminar on Digital Public Infrastructure, Fostering India-Nepal Digital Connectivity

The Embassy of India in Kathmandu recently organized a seminar focused on Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) to foster innovation and strengthen digital connectivity between India and Nepal. The event, held on December 12, 2023, was a collaborative effort with UNDP Nepal and the Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS), supported by the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB). The Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) also partnered with the Embassy to represent the industry at the seminar.

The seminar aimed to explore the transformative potential of DPI for driving innovation in the digital economy, emphasizing the need for robust India-Nepal digital bridges. Ms. Rekha Sharma, Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Government of Nepal, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest, highlighting Nepal’s commitment to adopting digital technologies and urging cooperation between India and Nepal in the field of technology.

Naveen Srivastava, Ambassador of India to Nepal, addressed the opening plenary, emphasizing India’s G20 Presidency’s focus on DPI and the G20 Framework for Systems of Digital Public Infrastructure. He elaborated on how digital technology can propel countries to leapfrog development milestones.

The keynote address by Dr. Pramod Varma, Co-chair of the Center for Digital Public Infrastructure and ex-Chief Architect, UIDAI, delved into the DPI approach, citing examples from India, including Unified Payments Interface, Digi Yatra, DPIs for tax, Account Aggregators, and Open Network for Digital Commerce. Mr. Benjamin Bertelsen, DPI Manager (acting) at UNDP, Chief Digital Office, provided further insights through a presentation.

The seminar featured engaging panel discussions on digital credentials and data storage, with industry leaders and experts such as Mr. Dipesh Bista, CEO, e-Governance Commission; Mr. Debabrata Nayak, CTO, Digital India Corporation; and Dr. Pramod Varma. The discussions underscored the potential for robust, secure, and interoperable data sharing systems to enhance collaboration between the public and government bodies.

Another panel, moderated by Dr. Biswash Gauchan, Executive Director, IIDS, explored the current state and future of digital payment systems, highlighting the importance of advancing digital connectivity. Industry representatives from Nepal Clearing House Ltd. (NCHL), NPCI International Pvt. Ltd (NPIL), and UNCDF, Nepal shared insights on the MOU between NPIL India and NCHL for facilitating cross-border digital payments and the potential of digital payments to catalyze economic growth.

The event concluded with a valedictory address by Mr. Bam Bahadur Mishra, Deputy Governor, Nepal Rastra Bank, outlining NRB’s initiatives to promote digitalization and reaffirming NRB’s support for advancing digital payments infrastructure, including cross-border connectivity.

The Embassy expressed its commitment to continued cooperation with various stakeholders in Nepal to explore synergies and convergences, leveraging DPI for the mutual benefit of the people of both countries. The seminar marked a significant step towards fostering digital collaboration and innovation between India and Nepal.