**Executive Summary**
This document is an answer to Unstarred Question No. 2066 in Lok Sabha regarding the expansion of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) in India. The response addresses concerns about exclusion, surveillance, data misuse, semiconductor mission progress, and internet shutdowns. The answer was given on 11.02.2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Expansion:**
* Government promotes DPI to enable digital service delivery at a population scale through open, interoperable, and scalable platforms.
* Foundational DPI implemented for identity (Aadhaar), payment (UPI), and data exchange (DigiLocker and API Setu).
* DPI aims to enhance financial inclusion, digital inclusion, governance, and economic growth.
* **Safeguards Against Exclusion and Data Misuse:**
* DPI initiatives include multilingual interfaces (NLTM-BHASHINI), accessibility features for persons with disabilities, and assisted service delivery through Common Service Centers (CSCs).
* Government is committed to ensuring DPI remains inclusive, secure, and respectful of citizens' privacy and rights.
* The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act) provides a legal framework for processing digital personal data while protecting individual rights and enabling lawful data use.
* The DPDP Act offers additional protections for children and persons with disabilities, including verifiable consent requirements.
* The Aadhaar framework, governed by the Aadhaar Act, 2016, imposes controls on identity data storage, access, and sharing.
* **Semiconductor Mission Progress:**
* India aims to develop a complete semiconductor ecosystem.
* 'Semicon India Programme' has a total outlay of Rs. 76,000 crore.
* Government has approved 10 projects (2 fabs and 8 packaging units) with Rs. 1.6 Lakh Crore investments.
* 24 chip design projects have been supported through startups.
* 350 universities have access to Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools, used by 65,000 engineers.
* Budget 2026-27 has announced Semicon 2.0 program.
* **Internet Shutdowns:**
* As per the Telecommunications (Temporary Suspension of Services) Rules, 2024, reasonable alternatives must be explored before suspending internet services.
* Suspension orders must be clearly reasoned, limited to a defined area and duration.
* During suspensions, voice calling and SMS typically remain available.
* Safeguards balance public order and safety with digital economy ambitions and constitutional freedoms.
**Impact Analysis**
**Citizens/Vulnerable Populations**
* **Impact:**
* Better access to digital services and financial inclusion due to DPI.
* Protection of personal data and privacy rights through legal and policy safeguards.
* Reduced digital exclusion through multilingual interfaces and accessibility features.
* **Action Required:**
* Understand and exercise rights under the DPDP Act.
* Utilize available resources and channels for assisted service delivery.
**Semiconductor Industry/Startups/Engineers:**
* **Impact:**
* Investment and development of the semiconductor ecosystem in India.
* Opportunities for startups in chip design.
* Access to EDA tools and resources for engineers.
* **Action Required:**
* Leverage available funding and support programs.
* Participate in the semiconductor ecosystem development.
**Government and Regulatory Bodies**
* **Impact:**
* Responsibility for ensuring DPI is inclusive, secure, and respectful of citizens' rights.
* Requirement to balance public order and safety with digital economy ambitions and constitutional freedoms.
* **Action Required:**
* Enforce the DPDP Act and Aadhaar framework.
* Explore alternatives before suspending internet services and ensure orders are limited.
Key Entities Referenced
Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI): A government-promoted approach to enable delivery of digital services at population scale through open, interoperable, and scalable platforms.
The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act): Provides a comprehensive legal framework for processing digital personal data in a manner that recognizes the rights of individuals to protect their personal data while enabling lawful use of such data.
Aadhaar Act, 2016: The legal framework that governs the Aadhaar framework and imposes strict controls on storage, access, and sharing of identity data.
Semicon India Programme: A government initiative with a total outlay of Rs. 76,000 crore for the development of semiconductor and display manufacturing ecosystem in the country.
Telecommunications Act, 2023: The governing act under which the Telecommunications (Temporary Suspension of Services) Rules, 2024 are notified, concerning temporary suspension of telecommunication services.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2066
TO BE ANSWERED ON: 11.02.2026
EXPANSION OF DIGITAL PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE
2066. SMT. PRATIMA MONDAL:
Will the Minister of ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY be pleased to
state:
(a) whether the Government has ensured that expansion of digital public infrastructure does not
lead to exclusion, surveillance risks or data misuse particularly for vulnerable populations;
(b) the concrete progress made under India’s semiconductor mission in terms of operational
fabs, timelines and indigenous capacity in light of global supply-chain realignments; and
(c) the manner in which the Government reconcile frequent internet shutdowns with India’s
global digital economy ambitions and constitutional freedoms?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI JITIN PRASADA)
(a) to (c): In line with the Hon'ble Prime Minister's vision to democratise use of
technology, the Government of India has promoted Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)
across India. Under the Digital India programme, the Government has adopted the
Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) approach to enable delivery of digital services at
population scale through open, interoperable and scalable platforms.
Government has successfully implemented foundational digital public infrastructure (DPI) at
population scale for identity (Aadhaar), for payment (UPI), for data exchange (DigiLocker and
API Setu), etc. DPI has been a transformative force in India's socio-economic development,
significantly enhancing financial inclusion, digital inclusion, governance and economic
growth.
To prevent digital exclusion, Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) initiatives incorporate
multilingual interfaces through the National Language Translation Mission (NLTM) –
BHASHINI, accessibility features for persons with disabilities, and assisted service delivery
through Common Service Centres (CSCs) and other facilitation channels, ensuring last-mile
service delivery to rural and vulnerable populations.
The Government is committed to ensuring that the expansion of Digital Public Infrastructure
(DPI) remains inclusive, secure, and respectful of citizens’ privacy and rights, including
vulnerable populations. The following legal and policy safeguards are in place:
• The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act) provides a comprehensive
legal framework for processing digital personal data in a manner that recognises the rights
of individuals to protect their personal data while enabling lawful use of such data.
• The DPDP Act provides additional protections for children and persons with disabilities,
including the requirement of verifiable consent from parents or lawful guardians.
• The Aadhaar framework is governed by the Aadhaar Act, 2016 and related regulations
impose strict controls on storage, access, and sharing of identity data.The semiconductor development strategy is inspired by Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of
Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India, Make for the world. As part of this strategy, India aims
to develop a complete ecosystem, ranging from design, fabrication, assembly, testing,
packaging and module manufacturing.
Given the foundational nature of semiconductor industry for the economy, the Government has
launched the ‘Semicon India Programme’ with a total outlay of Rs. 76,000 crore for the
development of semiconductor and display manufacturing ecosystem in the country. Following
are the salient achievements/progress under this Programme:
• Government has approved 10 projects with envisaged investments of about Rs. 1.6 Lakh
Crore which includes 2 fabs and 8 packaging units. These units inter-alia include
Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) (Silicon) fab, Silicon Carbide fab,
advanced packaging, memory packaging, etc. These projects are in various stages of
implementation and pilot production has started in 4 units.
• 24 chip design projects have been supported through startups. 16 have completed tape outs
and 13 have received Venture Capital funding.
• 350 universities have been provided access to Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools,
used by 65,000 engineers.
Budget 2026-27 has announced Semicon 2.0 program.
As per the Telecommunications (Temporary Suspension of Services) Rules, 2024 notified
under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, the competent authority must first explore all
reasonable alternatives to address the public emergency and public safety concerns before
issuing an order for the temporary suspension of internet services. If such a suspension is
deemed necessary, then the suspension order must be published clearly stating the reason and
be limited to defined geographical area and specified duration.
Generally, during the temporary suspension of telecommunication services in a region, only
internet services are suspended and other telecommunication services like voice calling and
Short Message Service (SMS) remain available through which people in that region can
communicate and access emergency services.
These safeguards ensure that the need to maintain public order and safety is balanced with
India’s global digital economy ambitions and the protection of constitutional freedoms.
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