WhatsApp services to drone analytics - India maps next phase of digital governance

The 28th National Conference on e-Governance (NCeG) concluded in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday with the adoption of the “Visakhapatnam Declaration,” outlining India’s digital governance strategy for the next decade. Co-hosted by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY), and the Government of Andhra Pradesh, the two-day conference brought together policymakers, technology experts, and civil servants to discuss the future of citizen-centric governance.

At the valedictory session, Shri V. Srinivas, Secretary, DARPG, praised the Andhra Pradesh government for hosting the conference outside the state capital after several years, calling it one of the most substantive e-Governance gatherings in recent times. He highlighted participation from 18 ministries and multiple states and union territories. Shri Srinivas also congratulated winners of the National e-Governance Awards 2025 and launched the website for the 2026 awards, emphasizing the need to replicate successful state-level digital models nationwide. He specifically commended Andhra Pradesh’s innovative initiatives, including real-time monitoring of public services and WhatsApp-based citizen service delivery.

The conference, themed “Viksit Bharat: Civil Service and Digital Transformation,” reaffirmed India’s long-term vision of “Viksit Bharat 2047” and the principle of “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance.” Delegates stressed the critical role of emerging technologies including AI, Machine Learning, Blockchain, GIS, IoT, and Data Analytics in enabling transparent, efficient, and citizen-focused governance. Strengthening cybersecurity, digital trust, and infrastructure resilience were highlighted as national priorities.

The Visakhapatnam Declaration calls for a whole-of-government approach to enhance civil service capabilities through digital competencies and data-driven frameworks. It proposes scaling up AI-driven platforms such as Digital India BHASHINI, Digi Yatra, and NADRES V2 to provide multilingual, real-time, and sector-specific services, while ensuring ethical adoption of AI.

Delegates also emphasized replicating successful digital governance projects across India, including SAMPADA 2.0 in Madhya Pradesh, eKhata in Bengaluru, Rohini Gram Panchayat in Maharashtra, and Drone Analytics Monitoring System (DAMS) by NHAI, demonstrating the benefits of data-driven public service delivery.

The declaration focuses on bridging the digital divide, particularly in regions with connectivity challenges such as the North-East and Ladakh, by expanding mandatory e-services under the NeSDA framework. Grassroots models from Rohini, West Majlishpur, Suakati, and Palsana will be scaled nationally, complemented by digital literacy initiatives for women, youth, and marginalized communities.

To strengthen cybersecurity, the declaration recommends Zero-Trust architectures, post-quantum security, and AI-enabled monitoring systems across sectors including transport, defence, and citizen service platforms.

On the agricultural front, the Visakhapatnam Declaration calls for accelerating the National Agri Stack to provide farmers better access to credit, advisories, and markets while promoting climate-smart farming practices.

Looking ahead, the conference highlighted collaboration between government, industry, academia, start-ups, and civil society to co-create scalable digital solutions. Andhra Pradesh’s ambition to make Visakhapatnam a premier IT and innovation hub through infrastructure development, special IT zones, and industry-academia partnerships was also endorsed.

The session concluded with the reading of the Visakhapatnam Declaration by Smt. Sarita Chauhan, Joint Secretary, DARPG, and remarks from Shri S.N. Tripathi (Director General, IIPA) and Shri K. Bhaskar (Secretary, IT, Andhra Pradesh). The declaration charts a forward-looking path for India, emphasizing AI, digital infrastructure, inclusive governance, and cybersecurity to build a digitally empowered, transparent, and resilient nation by 2047.