Digital India: The challenges facing Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated "India Digital Week", aimed at reinvigorating an $18bn campaign to strengthen India's digital infrastructure.

The initiative introduces nine "pillars" that the government will expand on, in its push to try to bridge the country's digital divide. Prashanto K Roy explains the significance of each pillar and what challenges the government faces in trying to implement them.
Digital India aims to have broadband networks that will span India's cities, towns and 250,000 villages by end-2016, along with a system of networks and data centres called the National Information Infrastructure.
The vision is grand.
If successful, it could transform citizen access to multimedia information, content and services. It also gives the government access to a great deal of information.
However, laying cables doesn't ensure they will be used.
After years of broadband and nationwide fibre-optic infrastructure targets, India remains stuck at a total of 15 million wire line broadband users. Yet mobile broadband use has exploded, currently standing at 85 million users, driven by apps like Facebook and WhatsApp, and the sharing of images and videos.
Experience shows that it is communications and content, not empty pipes, that drive network usage. And manufacturing content is not a government strength.
This project needs content and service partnerships with telecom companies and other firms, with new entrepreneurs.