New Delhi: In the past decade, India has undergone a quiet yet sweeping transformation. At the heart of this transformational journey lies a single, powerful word: technology.
Yes, you heard that right. Technology—once viewed merely as an enabler of growth in developing economies has now been elevated to the very core of governance, innovation, and national identity under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Previously, state delivery services were often caught in the web of red tape, inefficiency, and delays.
Today, they are being revitalized through data-driven policymaking and digitally empowered systems. This transformation is not incidental—it is the result of a deliberate and visionary shift.
PM Modi’s governance model stands apart.
Whether it's financial inclusion, healthcare, agriculture, defense, or space exploration, the common growth catalyst across all these sectors is technology.
His vision is clear:- remove the bottlenecks of outdated governance and replace them with digital-first, citizen-centric solutions.
Once he said “I dream of a Digital India where high-speed digital highways unite the nation.”
This digital dream is not only resonating within India but also capturing the attention of the global tech community.
The charisma and strategic foresight of PM Modi have attracted top global entrepreneurs and innovators.
Elon Musk once said “I’m a fan of PM Modi.”
Similarly, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang praised India's booming startup ecosystem, its immense tech talent, and its emerging role as a leader in artificial intelligence.
This momentum is also reflected in the government’s implementation of forward-looking schemes and technologies.
Areas of focus include artificial intelligence (AI), drone technology, fintech platforms like the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), virtual and augmented reality, 3D technologies, quantum computing, semiconductors, 5G and 6G connectivity, cybersecurity, space tech, and generative AI (GenAI)—to name just a few.
Perhaps the most visible outcomes of this technology-driven model are India’s national digital platforms. The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) stands out as a landmark success. It has created an instant, seamless payment ecosystem that now handles billions of transactions each month.
What was once limited to debit cards and mobile wallets is today the default mode of payment for everyone from street vendors to multinational corporations.
In June 2025 alone, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) processed over Rs24.03 lakh crore in transactions. This was spread across 18.39 billion payments, marking a sharp rise from 13.88 billion transactions in the same month last year.
The surge highlights how deeply UPI has embedded itself in daily financial activity.
India has offered to share its expertise in digitisation with several countries, that have expressed keenness in learning more about India's stupendous success in weaving digitisation into daily life.
Another shining example is the CoWIN platform, which emerged during the pandemic as a global benchmark for vaccine management. More than 950 million citizens were registered on CoWIN portal through online and on-site modes (scalable up to one billion plus citizens). India trained over 1.2 million frontline workers and health staff to use the CoWIN platform.
Through real-time registration, slot booking, and certification, the platform enabled vaccination at a scale that matched India’s vast population. More importantly, it showcased how digital infrastructure can serve as a lifeline during national crises.
In India, internet penetration has been expanding, with faster internet services being provided across the country. In 2025, monthly data consumption averages 27.5 GB to 32 GB, a record high driven by the rapid 5G rollout, affordable data plans, and booming OTT (streaming) and mobile gaming industries.
Internet users in India are estimated to exceed 900 million, with factors like remote work, education, and the growth of online content in Indian languages contributing to this surge. Affordable data plans has helped connect the working class, mostly migrant workers, connect with their families easily, located in far off rural villages.
Additional initiatives such as Bhashini (for multilingual translation), BharatMap (for geospatial data), and the Digital Health Mission are laying foundational digital infrastructure.
These platforms reduce reliance on fragmented systems and provide reusable “public digital rails” on which both private innovators and public service providers can build.
India has also made significant strides in drone technology through the robust Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme and the Drone Shakti initiative.
The PLI scheme has clocked Rs1.61 lakh crores in investment, Rs 14 lakh crore in production, Rs 5.31 lakh crore in exports and has helped generate 11.5 lakh jobs.
These aim to boost domestic manufacturing and commercial operations, particularly in sectors like agriculture. Farmers can obtain a bird’s-eye view using cameras and drone sensors, which also allow for early identification of issues, and precision spraying reduces environmental impacts and input costs.
Moreover, the government has taken bold steps to ensure that India is not merely a participant but a leader in the global race for emerging technologies. The National Quantum Mission is pushing India toward next-generation computing.
On the frontier of science and technology, India is pushing ahead with its National Quantum Mission (NQM). Launched in April 2023 with a budget of Rs 6,003.65 crore, the eight-year programme aims to develop quantum computers with 50 to 1000 physical qubits, build secure satellite-based quantum communication, and establish four thematic hubs to drive research and innovation.
One of the most critical and strategic focus areas in this technological journey has been semiconductors. Over the past few years, this has emerged as a cornerstone of India's tech ambitions.
At the same time, semiconductor incentives aim to reduce reliance on imports and create a self-sustaining chip ecosystem.
India’s semiconductor ambitions are gaining momentum. The country’s chip market is projected to reach USD100–110 billion by 2030, supported by the Rs76,000 crore India Semiconductor Mission (ISM). On 12th August 2025, four more semiconductor units were approved with an outlay of Rs4,600 crore, taking the total to 10 approved projects. Together, these projects have attracted investments of around Rs1.60 lakh crore across six states, strengthening India’s position in the global semiconductor value chain.
While addressing the audience at Semicon India 2025, PM Modi emphasized this very point, stating, “The world believes in India, and the world is ready to build the semiconductor future with India.”
He aptly described semiconductors as the “digital diamonds” of the modern age. Pointing to the increasing integration of technology into every aspect of life and industry, he declared that the 21st century is being defined by these digital chips.
This definition is not just metaphorical—it reflects a new global reality. Digital chips are now the engines driving progress in smartphones, medical devices, electric vehicles, AI systems, defense technology, and beyond.
Recognizing their importance, India’s push to become a semiconductor powerhouse marks a bold step from being a consumer of advanced tech to becoming a global producer and innovator.
India’s advancements in space exploration further reinforce its technological prowess.
The Chandrayaan-3 landing on the lunar south pole is more than a scientific feat, it is a symbol of national pride and global aspiration. These achievements reflect India’s growing confidence in competing in domains once dominated by global superpowers.
India’s digital transformation under the vision of PM Modi isn’t just a story of technology adoption, but it shows how developing nations can adopt technology in governance processes.
From fintech to space, AI to semiconductors, the country is redefining the role of technology on the global stage. The foundation of a tech-enabled future has been laid, and now the world will watch how India will lead the upcoming with technology at its heart.
