India’s digital public infrastructure has become a global model for innovation, fostering economic growth and transforming citizen services. In an exclusive conversation, Metesh Bhati, Chief Digital and AI Officer, Protean eGov Technologies shares insights into the technological advancements, AI-powered solutions, and strategic initiatives driving this transformation. Be it revolutionizing financial inclusion through the India Stack, creating the first-of-its-kind open digital ecosystems, or setting the bar for AI-enabled e-governance platforms, Protean, Bhati says, has certainly played a pertinent role in building a smarter and more inclusive digital future for India.
TAM: What are the key technological advancements and strategic initiatives driving improvements in India’s digital public infrastructure, and how is Protean eGov Technologies contributing to this transformation?
Metesh Bhati: India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) has emerged as a global benchmark, transforming citizen services, financial inclusion, and economic growth. This transformation is driven by several key technological advancements and strategic initiatives:
Key Technological Advancements and Strategic Initiatives:
- India Stack: This foundational digital infrastructure comprises:
- Aadhaar: India’s biometric identity system, with over 1.3 billion enrollments, serves as the unique digital identity for authenticating citizens for various services.
- UPI (Unified Payments Interface): A real-time payment system that has revolutionized digital transactions.
- DigiLocker: A secure cloud-based platform for issuance and verification of documents, enabling paperless governance and reducing fraud.
- Account Aggregator Framework: Revolutionizes financial data sharing by enabling secure, consent-based information exchange across institutions.
- Open Networks:
- ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce): Aims to democratize e-commerce by creating an open network for buyers and sellers.
- ONEST (Open Network for Education and Skill Transformation): Envisions a unified digital ecosystem for education and skill development
- Open Digital Ecosystems (ODEs): Beyond commerce, this concept extends to agriculture (Agristack), health (Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission – ABDM), education, and mobility, creating interoperable digital public goods.
- AI Integration: Initiatives like BHASHINI leverage AI for real-time language translation, breaking down linguistic barriers in digital communication and enhancing accessibility.
- Cloud Infrastructure: Government-backed secure cloud platforms are crucial for hosting DPI components, ensuring scalability, security, and data privacy in line with the Digital India mission.
- e-Governance Platforms: Initiatives like Government e-Marketplace (GeM) for public procurement have seen substantial growth.
- Digital Health Initiatives: Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) and platforms like eSanjeevani (over 100 million tele-consultations) are digitizing healthcare delivery.
Protean eGov Technologies’ Contribution:
Protean eGov Technologies has been a foundational architect of India’s DPI for over three decades, playing a crucial role in developing, strengthening, and scaling critical components:
- Identity and Taxation: Protean is a key enabler for PAN services, holding a significant market share in PAN card issuance, verification.
- Social Security & Welfare: It is the primary Central Recordkeeping Agency (CRA) for the National Pension System (NPS) and Atal Pension Yojana (APY), managing the digital pension framework for millions of citizens. Protean was entrusted with the design, development, and deployment of the recently launched Unified Pension Scheme (UPS).
- Open Digital Ecosystems (ODEs): Protean is a founding member of ONDC, playing a pivotal role in creating open, shared platforms for various sectors. Their solutions include full-stack ONDC solutions (Buyer and Seller apps, core infrastructure components, reconciliation, and settlement framework).
- Financial Inclusion & Digital Identity Stack: They provide Fintech APIs & eKYC solutions that empower banks, financial companies, and startups with secure identity checks. Protean also contributes to the wider India Stack with solutions supporting Aadhaar authentication and other digital identity services.
- ProteanX (Verifiable Credential): Protean has launched ProteanX, a future-ready solution enabling individuals and organizations to create, verify, and store credentials using blockchain-based technology. ProteanX leverages MOSIP (Modular Open Source Identity Platform) for secure identity verification and credential management. It also leverages Inji for secure issuance, storage, exchange, and verification of data as verifiable credentials and uses eSignet for trusted digital identity authentication.
- Account Aggregator provider: Protean runs one of the Account aggregator service
- DPI in a Box: Protean has conceptualized and deployed the “DPI in a Box” approach for global markets, a customizable, open-source playbook for countries to rapidly build foundational digital systems. This has been implemented in Morocco using Sunbird Ed, demonstrating its adaptability and global applicability.
- ITI Hiring: Protean is actively working on a Proof of Concept (POC) for blue-collar hiring, leveraging the ONEST network to streamline and digitize the hiring process for ITI graduates and other skilled workers.
- Cloud Services & InfoSec: They support India’s data privacy goals with modern sovereign cloud systems and offer information security consulting.
TAM: With tools like conversational AI and biometric verification, what approaches are you implementing to enhance security, simplify user onboarding, and improve overall citizen engagement with e-governance platforms?
Metesh Bhati: Protean eGov Technologies leverages cutting-edge tools like conversational AI and biometric verification to fundamentally transform citizen interaction with e-governance platforms, focusing on security, user-friendliness, and engagement:
- Enhanced Security through Biometrics:
- Multi-modal Biometric Authentication: We have implemented advanced biometric verification, including facial recognition, fingerprint scanning, to create robust authentication layers.
- Verifiable Credential Systems: Working on a verifiable credential offering where citizens can securely control and share their digital identities with verified attributes, enhancing privacy and security while simplifying verification for various services.
- Simplified User Onboarding:
- Conversational AI for Guided Onboarding: We are implementing conversational AI chatbots that act as intelligent guides for users. These chatbots can walk citizens step-by-step through complex application forms, explain requirements in natural language, answer FAQs instantly, and assist with document uploads.
- Improved Citizen Engagement:
- 24/7 Multilingual Support: AI chatbots provide round-the-clock support in multiple Indian languages, overcoming language barriers and providing accessibility to a diverse population, including those in rural areas.
- Voice-based Interfaces: Exploring and implementing voice-first interfaces, particularly beneficial for individuals with low literacy or those who prefer oral communication, further democratizing access to digital services.
TAM: Can you share insights into Protean’s role in collaborating with ONDC and other DPI initiatives, particularly in using AI for seamless integration and intelligent data sharing across government networks?
Metesh Bhati: Protean eGov Technologies plays a foundational and active role in collaborating with ONDC and other DPI initiatives, leveraging AI to foster seamless integration and intelligent, consent-based data sharing across government and public networks.
Collaboration with ONDC:
- Foundational Role: Protean is one of the founding members and key architects of ONDC. We have been instrumental in defining the architecture, developing the core protocols, and building essential components of this open network.
- Full-Stack Solutions: Our contributions span the entire ONDC ecosystem:
- Buyer and Seller Applications: We have developed and deployed comprehensive ONDC Buyer and Seller applications, enabling both consumers and businesses to seamlessly participate in the network.
- Core Infrastructure: Protean manages crucial infrastructure of Gateway & Registry
- AI for Enhanced ONDC Experience:
- Conversational AI for Discovery: We developed conversational AI for natural language product searches within ONDC buyer apps, allowing users to find products and services more intuitively, breaking down digital literacy barriers.
- Contributions to initiatives like ONDC Buddy, an AI-driven companion designed to assist participants with ONDC integration, protocol clarifications, and technical/business support.
Collaboration with Other DPI Initiatives & AI for Data Sharing:
- Agristack: Protean is deeply involved in Agristack, providing solutions for farmer registration, land record digitization, and data management. AI is crucial here for:
- Data-driven Insights: We can use AI to analyze agricultural data (soil health, weather patterns, crop yields) for personalized advisory services, improving crop insurance processes, and enabling data-driven access to loans
- Cross-Government Network Integration & Intelligent Data Sharing (AI-powered):
- Consent-based Data Exchange: At the core of India’s DPI is consent. Protean designs systems that leverage AI to manage and enforce granular consent mechanisms for data sharing, ensuring citizens retain control over their information.
- Interoperability via Open APIs: Protean’s platforms are built with an API-first approach, enabling different government departments and private entities to seamlessly exchange data securely and with consent. AI can monitor API traffic for anomalies and optimize data flow.
TAM: In your view, how will advancements in technologies like generative AI and agentic AI shape the future of e-governance in India, and what role will Protean eGov Technologies play in this evolution?
Metesh Bhati: Advancements in generative AI (GenAI) and agentic AI are poised to fundamentally reshape e-governance in India, ushering in an era of unprecedented efficiency, personalization, and accessibility. Protean eGov Technologies is not just an observer but a proactive driver in this evolution.
How Generative AI will Shape E-governance:
- Intelligent Content Generation & Communication:
- Automated Information Dissemination: GenAI can generate tailored public advisories, scheme details, and FAQs in multiple languages and formats (text, audio, video), making government information more accessible and understandable for diverse populations.
- Simplified Documentation: GenAI can assist citizens in drafting applications, grievances, or legal documents by understanding their intent and generating appropriate content, reducing the need for human assistance and improving accuracy.
- Enhanced User Interfaces & Experience:
- Intuitive Conversational Interfaces: Beyond basic chatbots, GenAI will power highly sophisticated conversational interfaces that understand context, nuance, and intent, allowing citizens to interact with government services through natural dialogue, even voice.
How Agentic AI will Shape E-governance:
- Autonomous Service Delivery:
- Self-Executing Processes: Agentic AI systems will be able to autonomously execute multi-step government processes based on predefined rules and citizen consent.
- Automated Compliance & Fraud Detection: Agentic AI can continuously monitor transactions and data patterns for anomalies, automatically flagging potential fraud or non-compliance, and even initiating corrective actions or investigations.
- Intelligent Resource Management:
- Dynamic Resource Allocation: Agentic AI can optimize the allocation of government resources (e.g., healthcare facilities, social welfare funds) based on real-time needs and predictive models, ensuring efficient service delivery.
- Cross-Departmental Orchestration: Agentic AI can act as an orchestrator, seamlessly coordinating tasks and data flows between different government departments and agencies for complex citizen services.
- Personalized & Adaptive Services:
- Hyper-Personalization: Agentic AI can tailor government services, recommendations, and even policies to individual citizen needs and circumstances, making governance truly citizen-centric.
- Adaptive Learning: Agentic AI systems can learn from interactions and outcomes, continuously refining their processes and decision-making to improve efficiency and accuracy over time.
Protean eGov Technologies’ Role in this Evolution:
Protean is strategically positioned to be a key architect and implementer of this AI-driven evolution in India’s e-governance:
- Pioneering AI-Powered DPI: As a key player in building India’s foundational DPI, Protean is uniquely positioned to integrate GenAI and Agentic AI directly into these core systems. Our vision of “AI-powered DPI in a Box” aims to provide adaptable digital building blocks for rapid, AI-enabled governance deployment globally.
- Responsible AI Integration: Protean is committed to ensuring the responsible and ethical use of AI, prioritizing fairness, transparency, and accountability in our GenAI and Agentic AI solutions for e-governance.
- Enhancing Core Platforms: We are exploring how GenAI can create more intuitive government service interfaces for existing offerings like NPS and Tax services, while Agentic AI can enhance operational efficiency and security through automated fraud detection and streamlined verification systems.
- Collaboration and Ecosystem Building: Protean will continue to collaborate with AI innovators and leverage partnerships to bring cutting-edge AI research and capabilities into practical e-governance applications.
- Simplifying Complex Interactions: Our focus will be on leveraging GenAI to simplify the language and interaction models of complex government schemes, and using Agentic AI to automate the underlying processes, making e-governance truly accessible and efficient for every citizen, regardless of their digital literacy.
- Building Secure and Interoperable AI Systems: Given our expertise in secure digital identities and data sharing frameworks, Protean will ensure that AI-driven e-governance solutions are built on principles of privacy by design, consent, and interoperability, fostering a truly connected and secure digital government network.
