Explained: How India-US Effort Will Bridge Digital Divide Between West and Global South

Washington: Marking a collective effort for an inclusive digital future, the US and India are working hand-in-hand to bridge the digital divide between the West and Global South, confirmed a former senior White House official. 

She underlined that New Delhi and Washington both are helping shape the framework for the "responsible and safe" use of Artificial Intelligence to benefit their societies.

Addressing a panel discussion on “Strategic Synergies: India-US Technology Cooperation” on Monday as part of the Motwani Jadeja US-India Dialogue Series, Lisa Curtis, a former White House officer from the Trump Administration, said that both the nations are copperating to boost AI use in cyber defence and in in promoting digital infrastructure. 

“We're working together to bridge the digital divide between the West and the global South," said Curtis, who served as the South Asia point person for former president Trump.

How India Gained US Trust? 

Curtis remarked that India's leadership at the G20 last year unlocked its true potential and demonstrated this critical role that country will play in this endeavour. 

"Together, we are helping shape the framework for the responsible and safe use of AI,” she said.

Adding that both the countries are looking to unlock the power of AI to benefit societies, she said, “This is because our two countries share technology values that emphasise both a culture of innovation, but also rules that place human life and human dignity and progress at the centre of our AI research and development.” 

India's Proven Track-Record 

India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) made a difference in achieving success to bridge digital divide at home first, serving as an commendable mark of feat for foreign nations.

India became the first country to develop all three foundational DPIs, Digital identity (Aadhar), Real-time fast payment (UPI) and Account Aggregator built on the Data Empowerment Protection Architecture (DEPA).

India's digital coverage success also hinges on addressing the urban-rural and gender gap in internet and smartphone usage. The country hasn't only strengthened its DPI, but also prioritised digital literacy programs to ensure a future where rural workforce can participate in digital economy and reap the benifits of technology. 

Among many ground-level campaigns is National Digital Literacy Mission (NDLM), implemented by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, to impart digital literacy skills to at least one member from every household in India.