In just a decade, India has redefined how nations can harness technology for the public good. Through Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), such as Aadhaar, UPI, and Account Aggregator, followed by newer innovations like OCEN and ONDC, India has shown the world how open, interoperable, and inclusive digital systems when designed as privately provisioned, public infrastructure; can spark innovation, scale rapidly, and empower communities at the grassroots.
To capture these lessons and provide a practical guide for policymakers, technologists, and global stakeholders, iSPIRT Foundation has contributed to the development of the DPI Handbook: Foundations of Digital Public Infrastructure. This handbook distills a decade of India’s pioneering experience into actionable insights, frameworks, and design principles that can help other nations build their own inclusive and interoperable DPI. The paper is now published on the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS)
This Handbook is not the product of a single author, but rather the culmination of years of dedicated volunteerism at iSPIRT, where technologists, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and thinkers came together to exchange ideas, build prototypes, and debate design choices. Each page reflects this collaborative spirit, proof that when diverse minds work in concert, they can create frameworks that transform entire societies.
We extend our deepest gratitude to the iSPIRT volunteer community, past and present, whose passion and commitment, have been instrumental in shaping India’s DPI journey. Their contributions embody the ethos of building digital public infrastructure as a shared national mission.
We hope the DPI Handbook becomes both a guide and an inspiration, for nations building their own digital public infrastructure, and for all who believe that technology, when designed for the public good, can change the course of societies.
Please note: The blog post is co-authored by our volunteer, Arun Iyer
iSPIRT would like to extend its gratitude to Shri. Rajeev Chawla – IAS, Strategic Advisor and Chief Knowledge Officer- Ministry of Agriculture & Farmer’s Welfare who co-authored this Handbook, for his insightful perspectives. We would also like to thank Shri. Sachin Chaturvedi, Director General – RIS for graciously writing the Preface to this Handbook