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India’s G20 presidency has made digital public infrastructure (DPI) a central offering, showcasing the country’s beneficial experience in technology and digitalisation and its relevance to countries of different income levels. Exhibits on DPI focus on how it is inclusive, trustworthy and serves the global good, as well as how DPI can support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). India has taken a lead in developing an effective DPI ecosystem through the India Stack. Its vast and valuable experience provides a learning opportunity for other countries and world regions.
Similar discussions are also taking place in other regions, most notably within the European Union (EU). The EU is at the forefront of the regulation of digital markets and services, introducing the “digital commons” as an innovative model for shared and collective governance of essential digital resources. The EU has demonstrated a strong commitment to incorporating the digital commons into its digital strategy, which aims to emphasize the Union’s values and norms, bridge geographical gaps, and accelerate progress towards the SDGs.
The UN Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation in its report “In an Age of Digital Interdependence” coined the term “digital public goods” for digital technologies and content that can accelerate the achievement of the SDGs if they are “freely and openly available, with minimal restrictions on their distribution, adaptation and reuse” (UN, 2019). In late 2019, the governments of Norway, Sierra Leone, UNICEF, and iSPIRT, an Indian non-profit organization that has played a key role in the development of DPI in India, formally launched the Digital Public Goods Alliance as a follow-up to the High-level Panel.
Given the enormous potential of DPI, the digital commons and digital public goods, there is a pressing need to align these diverse perspectives, experiences and debates, especially in the context of advancing the SDGs. Such alignment will promote the development of shared approaches and the effective use of DPI and the digital commons to establish “an open, free and secure digital future for all” (UN, 2023). Additionally, this synergy will contribute to the ongoing discussions around the UN Global Digital Compact, which is planned for ratification during the Future Summit in September 2024.
Yet, a significant challenge in this endeavour is terminological confusion. This article aims to address this confusion by unpacking the terms “DPI”, “digital commons” and “digital public goods” and considering their use within India and the EU. India’s DPI experience has been primarily practitioner-led, and a body of academic work has not yet developed. There is also limited literature on the relationship between DPI and the digital commons, and between DPI and digital public goods in advancing the SDGs. We identify shared and compatible elements of DPI and the digital commons and highlight areas where India and the EU are similar and divergent in their policies and approaches. We also advocate for the role of the G20 in building consensus on DPI and the digital commons and promoting knowledge exchange.
The paper begins by introducing the concept of DPI and its main elements, presenting India’s approach and experience in this area. It then examines the concept of the digital commons, outlining the EU’s approach and priorities. Next, the paper extrapolates these two concepts, arguing that DPI and the digital commons should be designed and implemented as digital public goods to fully unleash their potential as drivers of progress towards achieving the SDGs.
The report can be viewed by clicking here.
This article is written by Wai Dang, Elisagar Bootwala, Eva Maria Linders and Wolf Reiners, Gateway House.
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