DPI

DPI Brief — April 20, 2026 Today’s DPI Updates (7 Layers) L1: Identity & Authentication Aadhaar Pre-Installation Mandate Dropped After Industry Pushback In a significant policy reversal, the Indian government has decided not to mandate pre-installation of the Aadhaar authentication app on smartphones. UIDAI had proposed in January 2026 that Apple, Samsung, Google, and other major smartphone manufacturers pre-install the Aadhaar app on devices sold in India. Following pushback from the smartphone industry, MeitY reviewed the proposal and UIDAI stated it is “not in favour of mandating the pre-installation of the Aadhaar App on smartphones.” The move signals continued tension between identity verification ambitions and device ecosystem concerns. 1 ...

DPI Weekly Deep Dive — UPI Record & New Rules | Week of April 13-19, 2026 Executive Summary India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) achieved an unprecedented milestone in March 2026, processing 22.64 billion transactions valued at ₹29.53 lakh crore—the highest monthly volume and value in the system’s decade-long history. This landmark achievement, representing 24% year-on-year growth in volume and 19% in value, underscores UPI’s position as the backbone of India’s digital payments ecosystem and the world’s largest real-time payment platform. 1 2 ...

DPI Deep Dive — Saturday | April 18, 2026 Focus Layer: L6 Governance & Grievance (DARPG, CPGRAMS, eOffice) Coverage Period: April 11-18, 2026 Executive Summary This week’s governance layer saw significant activity around grievance redressal systems and digital governance reforms. CPGRAMS continues to process over 10,000 grievances daily, with the average disposal time holding steady at 13 days. The Ministry of Commerce launched an integrated website with CPGRAMS integration, while Maharashtra operationalized India’s first e-TDR trading platform. The week also saw the emergence of the Hamara Neta app as a new civic engagement platform, signaling potential evolution in citizen-government interfaces. ...

DPI Brief — April 18, 2026 Today’s DPI Updates (7 Layers) L1: Identity & Authentication India Drops Aadhaar Smartphone Pre-Installation Mandate After Pushback In a significant policy reversal, India’s government has decided not to mandate pre-installation of the Aadhaar biometric identification app on smartphones. UIDAI confirmed on April 17 that the IT ministry reviewed the proposal—originally floated in January requesting Apple, Google, Samsung, and other manufacturers to consider mandatory Aadhaar app installation—and is “not in favour of mandating the pre-installation of the Aadhaar App on smartphones.” The decision comes after major pushback from smartphone manufacturers concerned about regulatory compliance and user privacy implications. This marks a retreat from what could have been a sweeping expansion of Aadhaar’s presence on mobile devices. 1 ...

DPI Deep Dive — Friday | April 17, 2026 Focus Layer: L5 Sectoral Infrastructure (ABHA, AgriStack, eCourts) Coverage Period: April 10-17, 2026 Executive Summary This week’s L5 Sectoral Infrastructure developments reveal India’s multi-domain DPI strategy advancing across healthcare, agriculture, and judicial sectors. While ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) continues expanding its digital health ecosystem with over 650 million health IDs issued, the agriculture sector witnesses increased push for digital integration with e-NAM and warehouse receipt systems. The eCourts project maintains its gradual digital transformation of judicial processes. The common thread across all three vertical stacks is the critical dependence on foundational DPI layers—Aadhaar for identity, UPI for payments, and DigiLocker for document exchange—demonstrating how sectoral infrastructure builds upon the public digital rails established by core DPI platforms. ...

DPI Deep Dive — Thursday | April 16, 2026 Focus Layer: L4 Commerce & Logistics (ONDC, GeM) Coverage Period: April 9-16, 2026 Executive Summary This week’s L4 Commerce & Logistics developments highlight the contrasting trajectories of India’s two flagship digital procurement platforms. GeM (Government e-Marketplace) crossed a milestone ₹18.4 lakh crore in cumulative GMV, solidifying its position as India’s largest digital public procurement ecosystem. Meanwhile, ONDC faces governance scrutiny as analysts question transaction counting methodologies and platform neutrality. The broader e-commerce landscape continues its rapid evolution, with India’s e-retail market reaching $66 billion in GMV and quick commerce players facing intensified competition from Walmart-owned Flipkart and Amazon. ...

DPI Brief — April 16, 2026 Today’s DPI Updates (7 Layers) L1: Identity & Authentication UIDAI Updates Aadhaar Authentication Documentation (April 10, 2026) UIDAI updated multiple pages on its official website on April 10, 2026, including clarifications on using Aadhaar as proof of date of birth. The authority reaffirmed that Aadhaar number holders can view their authentication history through the myAadhaar dashboard. UIDAI also reminded residents that mandatory biometric updates must be performed at Aadhaar Enrolment Centres — this applies to residents whose biometrics were flagged during authentication failures. The authentication ecosystem continues to see steady usage across banking, telecom, and government service delivery. 1 ...

DPI Brief — April 15, 2026 Today’s DPI Updates (7 Layers) L1: Identity & Authentication Census 2027 Digital Self-Enumeration Crosses 5.72 Lakh Households India’s first fully digital census has seen over 5.72 lakh households opt for self-enumeration through the online portal as of April 10, 2026. 1 The initiative, a first in Indian census history, allows citizens in select states and union territories to fill in their details digitally and receive a special Houselisting ID. The digital approach marks a significant shift from paper-based enumeration. ...

DPI Deep Dive — Tuesday | April 14, 2026 Focus Layer: L2 Payments & Financial Rails (NPCI, UPI, RuPay) Coverage Period: April 8-14, 2026 Executive Summary India’s digital payments infrastructure continues its remarkable growth trajectory with UPI recording its highest-ever monthly performance in March 2026. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has implemented significant regulatory updates effective April 1, 2026, including elevated transaction limits for specific categories, enhanced fraud prevention mechanisms, and strengthened two-factor authentication requirements. Meanwhile, India’s payment ecosystem is expanding internationally through strategic partnerships, with UPI now live in over eight countries. ...

DPI Deep Dive — Monday | April 13, 2026 Focus Layer: L1 Identity & Authentication (UIDAI, Aadhaar, eKYC) Coverage Period: April 6-12, 2026 Executive Summary This week’s L1 Identity & Authentication layer witnessed significant developments spanning policy, infrastructure, and regional corrections. UIDAI’s partnership with MapmyIndia to display authorized Aadhaar Centres on Mappls marks a major step in making identity services more accessible. Meanwhile, a fresh PIL in the Supreme Court challenging Aadhaar’s issuance framework signals ongoing legal scrutiny. The Ladakh identity correction—resolving a 6.5-year anomaly where residents remained listed under J&K—highlights the importance of maintaining accurate demographic data in the Aadhaar ecosystem. Globally, the EU’s progress on Digital Identity Wallets provides valuable context for India’s approach. ...