From Jan Dhan to 5G & DIGIPIN: Mapping 11 years of India’s digital transformation under PM Narendra Modi

Over the past 11 years, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government has transformed India into a global leader in digital innovation, driven by the powerful trinity of Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, and Mobile (JAM). 

From revolutionising payments with UPI to laying the foundation for a tech-driven governance ecosystem, the push towards a ‘Digital Bharat’ has touched nearly every Indian.

As NDA under PM Modi’s leadership completes 10 years at the Centre; here are some of the key milestones and achievements in India’s digital journey:

Jan Dhan Yojana: Banking for masses

Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), based on entities operating out of Direct Biometric Identification (DBI) started horrendously in August 2014 with opening of over 54.58 crore bank accounts with deposits worth Rs 2.46 lakh crore in January 2025 alone. The Ministry of Finance reports it is about 7.33 crore enrollments under APY, with 89.95 lakh enrollments added new to Agriculture Finance during FY25. From the PMJJBY scope, there are about coverage counts of 22.52 crores, with Rs 17,600 crore disbursed for 8.8 lakh claims, while PMSBY has covered 49.12 crores, with Rs 2,994.75 crore disbursed in accident claims.

Aadhaar: Powering India’s digital identity 

Aadhaar, as the world’s largest biometric ID system, had given millions of unique IDs to The total number of Aadhaar authentication transactions have crossed 150 billion (15,011.82 crore) marks, marking one landmark moment in the journey of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and the larger Aadhaar ecosystem. In the month of April alone, a staggering near 210 crore Aadhaar authentication transactions were carried out, almost about 8 percent more over the same month of 2024. 

UPI: A global fintech benchmark

The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) For the first time, UPI transactions in the month of January, 2025 surpassed 16.99 billion and the value exceeded Rs ‎23.48 lakh crore marking the highest number recorded in any month.For FY 2023-24, the digital payments landscape has demonstrated remarkable expansion. UPI remains the cornerstone of India’s digital payment ecosystem contributing to 80 per cent of the retail payments across the country. The total transaction volume exceeded 131 billion and the value exceeded Rs ‎200 lakh crore for the FY 2023-24, according to  Minitsry of Finance. Adopted by countries like France, Singapore, Bhutan, and the UAE, UPI’s seamless, secure, and instant transactions have turned smartphones into digital wallets.

Direct Benefit Transfers: Transparent welfare delivery

The JAM Trinity has facilitated Direct Benefit Transfers (DBTs), with ndia’s Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system has helped the country achieve cumulative savings of Rs 3.48 lakh crore by plugging leakages in welfare delivery, according to a new quantiaker, and UPI, enables paperless, presence-less, and cashless service delivery. It has driven financial inclusion and inspired global adoption, with platforms like Indiastack.global showcasing its scalability to nations like Singapore and Bhutan.

BharatNet: Bridging the digital divide

BharatNet, aiming to connect 2.5 lakh gram panchayats with high-speed broadband, has laid over 6.8 lakh km of optical fiber and connected over 2.1 lakh panchayats by 2024. Despite delays due to bureaucratic hurdles and uneven progress in states like the Northeast, it remains critical for rural digital empowerment.

PM GatiShakti & digital governance

PM GatiShakti integrates infrastructure data for seamless project execution, while platforms like UMANG and MyGov enhance citizen engagement and service delivery. Over 1,400 government services are accessible via UMANG, simplifying access to healthcare, education, and utilities.

ONDC: Democratising E-commerce

The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), launched in 2021, empowers small businesses and kirana stores by creating an open e-commerce ecosystem. With over 7 lakh sellers onboarded by 2024, ONDC challenges monopolies like Amazon and Flipkart, fostering inclusivity. In Januaru 2025, ONDC crossed 150 million transactions with over 200 network participants.

Aarogya Setu and CoWIN: Crisis management tools

The app reached more than 100 million installs in 40 days. The app had 16 crore users at its peak, based on 2020-2021 data, CoWIN registered over 2 billion vaccine doses by 2022.

Digital India Mission: A holistic vision

With an estimated outlay of over Rs 1.5 lakh crore in Phase 2, the Digital India Mission drives digital literacy, governance, and connectivity. Programs like PMGDISHA have trained over 1 crore rural citizens, though challenges like the digital divide and data security persist.

5G rollout & semiconductor push

India’s 5G network, rolled out in 2022, 5G services have been rolled out in all States/ UTs across the country and presently it is available in 773 out of 776 districts in the country including Lakshadweep. As on 28.02. 2025, 4.69 lakhs 5G Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs) have been installed by the Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) across the country.

Bhashini: Language inclusion

Bhashini promotes internet access in Indian languages through AI-driven translation and voice tools, enhancing digital inclusivity across diverse linguistic regions.

DIGIPIN: A New Digital Address System

Launched on May 27, 2025, by the Department of Posts with IIT Hyderabad and ISRO, DIGIPIN (Digital Postal Index Number) assigns a unique 10-character alphanumeric code to every 4×4 meter grid in India, covering urban, rural, and maritime areas. This geocoded system aims to simplify service delivery, improve logistics, and reduce economic losses estimated at rs 10-14 billion annually due to inaccurate addressing.