During a conference organized by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran discussed the advancements and challenges of India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). While the DPI has revolutionized welfare delivery, he pointed out persistent issues in digital inclusion, particularly for the elderly, low-connectivity regions, and low-literacy groups. Nageswaran stressed that building digital infrastructure alone is insufficient; ensuring that those in need can access services is essential. He highlighted the fragmentation of state-level systems in health, education, and land records, which hampers the citizen experience despite central integration. Furthermore, he emphasized the importance of robust data governance frameworks to facilitate data-sharing across public services. Cybersecurity also emerged as a critical concern, with larger interconnected systems facing evolving threats. The CEA noted that the pre-reform welfare architecture suffered from significant leakage, with about one-third of Public Distribution System spending failing to reach intended households. However, the introduction of the JAM trinity—Aadhaar, Jan Dhan Yojana, and mobile penetration—has led to the elimination of approximately 100 million ghost beneficiaries and extended social protection to over 940 million citizens. Nageswaran concluded that while India has established a world-class DPI, efforts must focus on deepening its reach and strengthening governance to benefit those still marginalized in the digital economy.