India's digital inclusion and UPI success highlighted in Uzbekistan

At the 12th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Conference in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Indian MP Raghav Chadha highlighted India’s digital transformation and its focus on digital inclusion. Speaking on the theme ‘Digital Access and Rights in a Digital Era’, Chadha noted that India has demonstrated how digital scale and inclusion can coexist, citing the widespread use of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) for instant daily payments.

Chadha emphasized that the success of the digital era should be measured by whether individuals in the poorest districts with basic mobile devices receive the same access, protection, and opportunities as others. He outlined India’s approach to digital rights through four principles: access, agency, safety, and opportunity.

The address also touched upon strengthening bilateral ties between India and Uzbekistan, which were recently elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. A key development mentioned was the agreement between Uzbekistan’s National Interbank Processing Centre and India’s UPI ecosystem, aimed at facilitating easier digital payments for Indian travelers and students in Uzbekistan without the need for separate cards or foreign exchange markups.