From airports to banking, why delaying tech reforms hurts everyone

From easier airport access to opening bank accounts-- slow tech adoption is holding back growth and a hassle-free ecosystem for citizens

India has been at the forefront of building digital public infrastructure for governance reforms. Foundational systems like Aadhaar and Unified Payments Interface (UPI) are horizontal in nature, enabling multiple applications. Aadhaar, for instance, not only offers a unique identity to every resident but also supports online authentication across services. Over time, services like e-KYC, e-Sign, and DigiLocker have been built on Aadhaar, simplifying tasks such as opening bank accounts, obtaining SIM cards, filing tax returns, and storing digital documents.

 

Yet, despite these advancements, India has often been slow to adopt these innovations. The delays have cost us efficiency, opportunity, and