India Showcases Digital Public Finance Model to Global South Nations

India has taken a major step in strengthening cooperation with the Global South by sharing its expertise in Public Financial Management (PFM). The Controller General of Accounts (CGA), in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), on Friday organised a special seminar in New Delhi to highlight India’s achievements in digital PFM and explore avenues for collaboration with developing nations.

According to MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, the event held for the first time in this format brought together Heads of Missions and senior diplomats from several Global South countries. The seminar focused on India’s digital governance tools, especially the Public Financial Management System (PFMS), and its potential to support financial transparency and efficient fund management across partner nations.

The inaugural session was addressed by the CGA, the Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs, and the Secretary of Economic Relations from the MEA. Jaiswal, in a post on X, said the seminar underscored India’s commitment to advancing “partnerships on digital PFM solutions” as part of its broader Global South outreach.

India’s PFMS has emerged as one of the world’s most comprehensive digital public finance platforms. The system has enabled 100% digitalisation of government schemes and processed more than ₹22.85 lakh crore during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT), PFMS has helped save nearly ₹1 lakh crore by curbing leakages and ensuring timely delivery of welfare benefits.

Launched in 2009 to track funds under government schemes, PFMS has expanded significantly over the years. It now supports real-time expenditure reporting, direct payments to beneficiaries, and digitised accounting across the Government of India. The CGA noted that PFMS has evolved into a key pillar of the Digital India initiative, offering a reliable management information system and effective decision-support tools for various stakeholders.

The seminar aimed to encourage knowledge sharing, strengthen financial governance in developing countries, and build long-term cooperation through digital PFM technologies.