India has signed MoU / agreements with 23 countries for cooperation on Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)

1. At a Glance

• India has signed MoUs/agreements with 23 countries for cooperation on India Stack / Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), anchored by the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) [1][2].
• Cooperation spans digital identity, digital payments, data exchange, and service delivery platforms — the core layers of India Stack [1].
• UPI is now live in 8+ countries (UAE, Singapore, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, France, Mauritius, Qatar), making India the global benchmark in real-time retail payments [1][4].
• Examinable as DPI diplomacy / techno-strategic outreach under GS-II (IR) and GS-III (Economy, S&T).

2. Why in the News

• PIB release dated 06 Feb 2026 by MeitY confirmed the count of 23 countries and listed UPI's 8 live foreign jurisdictions [1].
• Follows India's G20 Presidency (2023) push for DPI and the Global DPI Repository / India Stack Global initiatives [2].

3. Background & Evolution

• India Stack evolved from Aadhaar (UIDAI, 2009) → UPI (NPCI, 2016) → DigiLocker, CoWIN, ONDC, Account Aggregator — a presence-less, paperless, cashless layered stack [2].
• 2023 G20 New Delhi Summit — India championed DPI as a global development tool; Global DPI Repository launched, with India contributing the largest number of DPI solutions [2].
• MoU with Colombia (2024) on open-sourced DPIs typified the model template [3].
• UPI–PayNow (Singapore) linkage went live 21 Feb 2023; UPI at Eiffel Tower (France) — first European foray [4].

4. Core Static Facts

• Implementing ministry: Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) [1].
• UPI operator: National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI); cross-border arm — NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL) [4].
• Number of DPI MoU partner countries: 23 [1].
• UPI live abroad in 8 countries: UAE, Singapore, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, France, Mauritius, Qatar [1][4].
• DigiLocker MoUs: signed with Cuba, Kenya, UAE, Lao PDR [2].
• Illustrative DPI MoU partners: Armenia, Sierra Leone, Suriname, Antigua & Barbuda, Papua New Guinea, Trinidad & Tobago, Tanzania, Colombia, Lao PDR, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Jamaica, Fiji, Guyana, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mongolia, Malaysia, etc. [2].
• Global platform: India Stack Global + Global DPI Repository (launched under India's G20 Presidency, 2023) [2].

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Geopolitical / Strategic

• Form of tech-soft power — exporting governance rails to Global South, countering Chinese digital footprint [1][2].
• Aligns with Voice of Global South Summits and G20 legacy post-2023 [2].

Economic

• Boosts rupee-denominated remittances and reduces cross-border transaction costs; positions NPCI/NIPL as a fintech rails exporter [4].
• Open-source DPI lowers vendor lock-in costs for partner states [3].

Scientific / Technological

• DPI = interoperable, open APIs, modular stack (identity + payment + data-sharing) — different from proprietary BigTech platforms [2].

Governance / Ethical

• DPI delivers JAM trinity style direct benefit delivery; raises questions of data protection (DPDP Act 2023) and inclusion safeguards abroad.

Administrative

• MoUs primarily executed by MeitY, with MEA, RBI, NPCI, UIDAI as delivery arms [1].

6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)

• 06 Feb 2026 — MeitY confirms 23-country MoU tally; 8 UPI-live countries [1].
• 2025–26 — UPI launch in Qatar and expansion in Mauritius, France (Eiffel Tower QR acceptance) [4].
• 2024 — MoU with Colombia on open-sourced DPI sharing [3].
• 2023 — Global DPI Repository launched at G20 Delhi Summit [2].
• UPI–PayNow (Singapore) linkage operational since Feb 2023 [4].

7. Prelims Hooks

• India has signed DPI MoUs with 23 countries (as of Feb 2026) [1].
• Nodal ministry for DPI MoUs: MeitY (not MEA) [1].
• UPI is live in 8 countries: UAE, Singapore, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, France, Mauritius, Qatar [1].
• France is the first European country where UPI is accepted [4].
• UPI–PayNow is the Singapore linkage [4].
• DigiLocker MoUs: Cuba, Kenya, UAE, Lao PDR [2].
• NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL) handles UPI's overseas rollout [4].
• Global DPI Repository launched during India's G20 Presidency 2023 [2].
• India Stack layers: identity (Aadhaar), payments (UPI), data (Account Aggregator/DigiLocker) [2].
• MoU with Colombia signed in 2024 on open-sourced DPIs [3].

8. Mains Relevance

• GS-II: India's bilateral/multilateral relations; effect of policies of developed/developing nations on India's interests; international institutions (G20).
• GS-III: Indian economy — digital economy; Science & Technology — indigenisation of technology.
• Likely stems: 1. "Discuss how Digital Public Infrastructure has emerged as a tool of India's soft power and development diplomacy." 2. "Examine the opportunities and risks in exporting the India Stack to Global South countries." 3. "Evaluate UPI's internationalisation as a strategy for rupee globalisation and remittance efficiency."

9. Related Topics to Study Next

• India Stack & JAM Trinity — domestic foundation of DPI exports.
• Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 — data governance layer.
• G20 New Delhi Declaration 2023 — multilateral anchor for DPI framework.
• ONDC — DPI for e-commerce; next export candidate.
• CBDC (e-Rupee, RBI) — complementary digital payment rail.
• NPCI / NIPL operations — UPI's overseas vehicle.
• Voice of Global South Summit — diplomatic channel for DPI.
• Aadhaar & UIDAI — identity layer underpinning all DPI MoUs.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• Wrong ministry: DPI MoUs nodal is MeitY, not MEA or Ministry of Finance.
• Country count confusion: 23 = DPI MoUs; 8 = UPI live; 4 = DigiLocker MoUs — do not conflate [1][2].
• Bhutan vs Nepal first: Both have UPI acceptance; aspirants often miss Bhutan as the first to adopt BHIM-UPI (2021).
• France ≠ EU-wide: UPI is live in France only, not across the EU [4].
• India Stack ≠ a single Act — it is a layered set of APIs, not a statutory creation.