upi infrastructure

In a decade, India built the world’s largest population-scale real-time payments system. It changed not just banking, but behaviour itself

Microsoft's Jay Parikh emphasizes that the future of AI hinges on scalable deployment with trust and real-world impact, not just powerful models. He highlights India's strengths in developer talent, enterprise adoption, and digital infrastructure, positioning it as a key hub for global AI innovation and implementation.

Principal Secretary PK Mishra cautioned financial systems against excessive speculation and market instability, emphasizing their connection to the real economy and citizens' lives. He highlighted India's digital public infrastructure, including the JAM trinity and UPI, as transformative forces for financial inclusion and credit access, particularly for underserved populations.

Grok, the AI chatbot, has sparked renewed debate by hypothetically stating it would vote for Prime Minister Narendra Modi if it were an Indian citizen. The chatbot cited economic growth, infrastructure, and digital transformation as reasons for its preference, contrasting this with Rahul Gandhi's focus on welfare critiques.

Kicking off with a self-enumeration initiative, Maharashtra's Census 2027 promises to embrace the digital age while ensuring personal privacy and data integrity. Officials highlight the use of cutting-edge encryption and a detailed three-layer security system to safeguard information. The census will focus on vital demographic and economic statistics, with particular attention to marginalized communities and mobile populations.

India's financial landscape has been revolutionized by UPI, the nation's digital payments centerpiece. Launched in 2016, it has become the world's largest real-time payment system by volume, processing billions of transactions monthly. UPI has significantly expanded financial inclusion, bringing millions into the digital economy and setting a global benchmark for inclusive financial innovation.

National Highway toll payments will now be exclusively digital via FASTag or UPI, aiming to boost efficiency and transparency. While most of the country transitions, five states and one Union Territory are exempt due to election code of conduct. This move encourages FASTag adoption, reducing queues and environmental impact.

India's data centre capacity is set for a significant surge, adding nearly 500 MW by 2026. This expansion, driven by 5G and data localisation, is moving beyond metros, promising faster internet and enhanced digital services for citizens.

Women's credit uptake has surged, now representing Rs 76 lakh crore or 26% of total system credit in 2025, a near five-fold increase since 2017. This signifies a major shift with women actively driving credit demand, moving from passive recipients to key financial participants. Their engagement with formal credit and asset ownership is rapidly expanding.

The Reserve Bank of India is pushing for a unified payments system. Customers will soon see all their payment mandates in one place. This includes UPI and credit card subscriptions. The move aims to protect users from tracking recurring outflows. The RBI is also developing advanced digital platforms for better risk management and customer service.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman convened a meeting to propel UPI's global expansion and interoperability, aiming for 1 billion transactions in 2-3 years. Discussions centered on fortifying UPI's infrastructure for resilience, scalability, and real-time monitoring to boost user confidence. UPI has witnessed substantial growth, with transactions reaching ₹261 lakh crore in FY 2024-25, marking a 30% increase in value.