First G20 Digital Economy Working Group Meeting To Kick Start In Lucknow From 13 Feb

As part of India's Presidency of the G20, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is hosting the first Digital Economy Working Group meeting in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh from 13 February to 15 February 2023. This was stated at a pre-event press meet in the state capital on Sunday. 

The meet was addressed by Amit Agrawal Additional Secretary MeitY, Alkesh Kumar Sharma Secretary MeitY, Abhishek Singh CEO, NeGD/DIC and Kumar Vineet, Special Secretary, Electronics & Information Technology, government of Uttar Pradesh. 

With the global digital economy estimated to be worth USD 11 trillion and expected to reach USD 23 trillion by 2025, the DEWG plays a critical role in shaping global policy discourse in the digital space.

In addition to the G20 members, India has invited Guest Countries namely Bangladesh, Egypt, Mauritius, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Singapore, Spain and the United Arab Emirates and International Organizations such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), OECD, the World Bank, UNESCO, and UNDP to participate in the DEWG meetings.

As a precursor to the first DEWG meeting in Lucknow, MeitY has held several bilateral meetings and launched several initiatives that inter-alia includes the following:

• "Stay Safe Online" campaign: To raise awareness among citizens of all ages about cyber risks and how to protect oneself online.

• The G20 Digital Innovation Alliance (G20-DIA): To support and recognize innovative digital technologies developed by startups from G20 countries and beyond and to showcase cutting-edge digital solutions at the G20-DIA Summit in Bangalore. The summit will focus on six critical areas: Agri-tech, Health-tech, Ed-tech, Fin-tech, Secured Digital Infrastructure, and Circular Economy.

• “Digital Payment” campaign: Launched on 9th February 2023, the digital payment campaign is aimed at promoting digital payments across the country. The campaign will see special events organised in the cities of Lucknow, Pune, Hyderabad and Bengaluru, as part of the G20’s DEWG meetings.

• Immersive Digital Mobile Van: Launched by the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh on 2nd February 2023 the van will travel through 45 pre-identified destinations in the city of Lucknow and provide an interactive and immersive experience about India's digital transformation journey, showcasing digital transformational initiatives in financial inclusion, universal healthcare, inclusive education & learning, among others.

The three day-long DEWG meeting will kick start from Monday. The four workshops will focus on (i) Digital Public Infrastructure – Sharing implementation experiences of Digital Identity in various countries, (ii) Sharing of Cyber Security Solutions for MSMEs, (iii) Digital Public Infrastructure to boost the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals and (iv) Use of Geo-Spatial technologies for infrastructure and Product development in the digital economy. 

The Digital Economy Working Groups will also have three more physical events at Hyderabad, Pune, and Bengaluru in April, June and August respectively.