The Thrust for a Digitally Connected India

It is absolutely true that technology will be the primary driver of investments worldwide over the next five years and more. India is now aiming to evolve into a $5 trillion economy and technology-driven startups are going to play a crucial role in achieving this goal. With over half a billion internet subscribers, India—one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing markets for digital consumers—is at the cusp of a digital revolution.

When we see the data points, At the state level, Maharashtra has the highest penetration of active Internet users at 61 percent, followed by Goa at 60 percent and Kerala at 59 percent. Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Bihar have the lowest Internet population at 29 percent, 29 percent, and 24 percent, respectively. There is emphasis on digital technologies and start-ups cutting across sectors-–from agriculture and education to post offices, banking and more. The number of active Internet users in India is expected to increase by 45% in the next five years and touch 900 million by 2025.

This increase will be driven by higher adoption in rural India, which has clocked a 13% growth to 299 million internet users over the past year, or 31% of India’s rural population, a report said. By 2025, there will be more internet users in rural India than in urban India. Given this, the digital ecosystem will need to evolve to address the specific needs of this emerging demography.

Cyber security, building resilient & adaptable supply chains, various forms of data protection and sovereignty-related issues will emerge as "big drivers for technology spend globally. As digital capabilities evolve and connectivity becomes omnipresent, a radical transformation of India’s economy through accelerated adoption and usage of the internet is imminent. Internet connectivity can undoubtedly empower communities and has impacted every single home in small towns and villages across the nation, steadily bringing next-generation digital services such as e-governance, agrotech, fintech, telemedicine, and e-education.

It is safe to say that the vision of smart villages, modern agricultural interventions, efficient healthcare systems, and quality education will soon become a reality with internet connectivity. Given this backdrop, connectivity is no longer just a means to stay in touch with your loved ones, but a conduit to boosting development and ensuring social impact. With rising internet penetration and exponential data uptake, the Indian government and telecom sector are focused on driving digitalization and accelerating technology adoption across the country.

Let’s wait and watch for the most hyped 5G wireless technology, which is expected to enable a new kind of network that is designed to connect virtually everyone and everything together including machines, objects, and devices.

Dr. Deepak Kumar Sahu, President & CEO, VARINDIA