Asheville, Sep 2 (IANS) India has reached a stage where its development experience, including digital public infrastructure and technology-led agriculture, can be shared with other countries, World Bank President Ajay Banga has said.
In an exclusive interview with IANS on the sidelines of the G20 Finance Ministers’ meeting here, Banga said the World Bank was expanding its knowledge exchange with India as the country pursued its development goals for 2047.
“I think India has reached a stage of development where India has learnings that can be shared elsewhere,” Banga said.
He cited India’s digital public infrastructure, extending from Aadhaar to bank accounts, as one area that could provide lessons for other countries. The country’s use of technology in agriculture could offer another transferable model.
“You look at your digital public infrastructure starting from Aadhaar all the way to bank accounts, the work you’re now doing in agriculture. These are things that others can learn from,” he said.
Banga said India’s path towards its 2047 ambitions would not be determined solely by the size or pace of its domestic economic growth. Its standing in international economic and political affairs would also be important.
“The way that India will become a Viksit Bharat by 2047, you know, economy of that size is not just from its own growth, of course, but also the stature it occupies in world economics and in world politics,” he said.
“I think these are both important as a part of where the prime minister wants India to go in the coming 15 years,” he added.
The World Bank chief said the institution was working with India in several areas while also facilitating the exchange of knowledge drawn from the country’s development experience.
Banga pointed to agricultural projects using partnerships and technology to help small farmers. Recalling a visit to Uttar Pradesh, he said he had seen cooperatives working with Google and the World Bank to improve farmers’ access to essential inputs and support at scale.
“When I was in India last time I was in UP and I got a chance to see cooperatives working in UP with technology from Google and us trying to enable small farmers to get access to the inputs and stuff they need at scale,” he said.
The approach reflected a wider effort to combine local delivery systems with technology. Banga also described how digital links could connect decentralised primary healthcare clinics with doctors and regional hospitals.
“And then you connect that with technology and digitisation to regional hospitals and doctors,” he said.
Banga said the World Bank’s engagement with India extended to physical infrastructure, education, skills, healthcare, regulatory reform and efforts to mobilise private investment. It was also exploring opportunities in tourism and support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.
“So those are the kinds of things that we are working on with the Indian government,” he said.
Asked about the role of leadership in India’s economic progress, Banga said the people and their leaders could not be separated.
“I mean, I think people and leadership are intertwined. People get the leader they deserve,” he said. “And I think that’s what India should feel proud about, that they’ve got leadership that is taking them in the right direction.”
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