India has quietly built the most ambitious digital public infrastructure (DPI) on the planet. While Silicon Valley debates whether AI will replace developers and Europe argues about regulation, India has been shipping production systems that serve 1.4 billion people daily.

UPI processed over 16 billion transactions in January 2026 alone. Aadhaar has enrolled 1.4 billion residents. DigiLocker stores over 7.5 billion documents. ONDC is slowly rewiring how commerce works in the country. The Account Aggregator framework is changing how financial data moves between institutions.

Yet when you read Western tech media, India's DPI barely gets a mention. And more importantly, the enormous opportunity sitting on top of this infrastructure -- for agencies, startups, and developers -- is almost entirely undiscussed.

At CODERCOPS, we have been building on these APIs for Indian and global clients. This post is everything we have learned about where the real opportunities are, what is hype, and what is genuinely difficult.

Digital India Infrastructure India's digital public infrastructure serves 1.4 billion people and is being exported to dozens of countries

The India Stack: A Quick Primer

Before we get into opportunities, let us understand what we are working with. India's DPI is not a single system -- it is a layered stack of interoperable platforms.

Layer System What It Does Scale (2026)
Identity Aadhaar Biometric digital identity 1.4B enrollments
Payments UPI Real-time payments 16B+ monthly transactions
Data Account Aggregator Consent-based financial data sharing 90+ financial institutions
Documents DigiLocker Verified digital document storage 7.5B+ documents issued
Commerce ONDC Open protocol for digital commerce 12M+ monthly orders
Health ABDM Unified health records 650M+ health IDs created
Credentials DigiLocker + ABC Academic Bank of Credits 300M+ verified credentials
Signing eSign / DSC Aadhaar-based digital signatures Integrated across platforms

What makes this stack special is that it is open. Unlike closed ecosystems (Apple Pay, Amazon Marketplace), these are open protocols. Anyone can build on them. That is the fundamental opportunity.

UPI: Beyond Payments

UPI is the most visible success story. The numbers are staggering:

  • 16.2 billion transactions in January 2026 (up from 12.02 billion in January 2025)
  • Rs 23.4 lakh crore ($2.78 trillion) transacted monthly
  • 350+ million active users
  • 550+ banks connected
  • UPI Lite handling offline micro-transactions up to Rs 500

But UPI as a payment method is a solved problem. The real opportunities are in what gets built on top of UPI.

UPI-Adjacent Opportunities

Credit on UPI (UPI Credit Line): RBI's decision to enable credit lines on UPI is creating an entirely new lending infrastructure. Banks and NBFCs need technology partners to build:

  • Credit decisioning engines that integrate with UPI
  • Real-time underwriting systems using Account Aggregator data
  • Merchant dashboards for UPI credit settlement
  • Risk monitoring platforms

UPI for cross-border remittances: UPI now connects to payment systems in Singapore (PayNow), UAE, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, France, and more. Companies building remittance products need:

  • Multi-currency conversion layers
  • Compliance and KYC systems for cross-border transactions
  • Reconciliation platforms for merchants accepting international UPI

UPI AutoPay and subscription billing: India's subscription economy is growing at 20%+ annually, and UPI AutoPay is the infrastructure enabling it. Opportunities include:

  • Subscription management platforms built on UPI AutoPay
  • Dunning and retry logic for failed recurring payments
  • Analytics dashboards for subscription businesses

Estimated market size for UPI-adjacent services: Rs 8,000-12,000 crore annually by 2027.

What We Have Built

At CODERCOPS, we have integrated UPI payment flows for three clients in the past year -- two SaaS platforms and one e-commerce business. The APIs are well-documented, but the edge cases around payment failures, reconciliation, and refund handling are where most teams struggle. NPCI's documentation has improved significantly, but you still need experience handling the quirks.

ONDC: The Most Underrated Opportunity

If UPI disrupted payments, ONDC is attempting to do the same for commerce. The Open Network for Digital Commerce is an open protocol that separates the buyer-side app from the seller-side app, with a shared network in between.

Think of it this way: on Amazon, the buyer experience and seller catalog are locked inside Amazon's ecosystem. On ONDC, a buyer using one app can discover and purchase from a seller on a completely different app, across the open network.

ONDC by the Numbers (March 2026)

Metric Value
Monthly orders 12M+ (up from 8.5M in mid-2025)
Registered sellers 1.2M+
Buyer-side apps 40+
Seller-side apps 70+
Categories live Grocery, food delivery, fashion, electronics, mobility, logistics, financial services
Cities active 1,000+

Where the Opportunities Are

Building buyer-side network participants (buyer apps): You can build a shopping app that connects to the entire ONDC network. Your app does not need its own catalog -- it aggregates from all ONDC sellers. This is ideal for:

  • Niche vertical marketplaces (organic food, handicrafts, local services)
  • Regional language commerce apps
  • WhatsApp-based ordering systems backed by ONDC
  • B2B procurement platforms

Building seller-side network participants (seller apps): Help offline businesses get on ONDC. India has 63 million MSMEs. Most are not on any digital marketplace. Seller apps that make onboarding dead simple have massive potential.

Logistics network participants: ONDC's logistics layer allows any logistics provider to serve ONDC orders. Building logistics management systems that plug into ONDC is a significant opportunity.

ONDC integration for existing businesses: Companies already running e-commerce want to expand their reach by listing on ONDC without rebuilding their systems. Integration middleware is a real need.

The Honest Challenges

ONDC is promising, but let us be real about the challenges:

  • Discoverability is still weak. Buyers do not yet think "I will order on ONDC." They think "I will order on Swiggy" or "I will order on Amazon."
  • Order volumes are growing but still small compared to Amazon or Flipkart.
  • Catalog quality varies wildly across seller apps.
  • Returns and customer service across a decentralized network are complex.
  • The Beckn protocol (which ONDC is built on) has a steep learning curve.

We tell our clients: ONDC is a 3-5 year bet, not a 6-month win. But the window to establish yourself as a buyer or seller app is open right now and will close as the network matures.

ABDM: Healthcare Digitization at Scale

The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) is building India's unified health infrastructure. It is the UPI of healthcare -- and it is arguably the most impactful DPI initiative for the next decade.

ABDM Components

Component Purpose Status (2026)
ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) Unique health ID for every citizen 650M+ IDs created
Health Information Exchange Interoperable health records 45,000+ facilities linked
Health Professional Registry Verified registry of doctors/practitioners 2.5M+ registered
Health Facility Registry Registry of hospitals and clinics 280,000+ facilities
Unified Health Interface (UHI) Discovery and delivery of health services Beta phase

Opportunity Areas

Hospital Information Systems (HIS) with ABDM integration: India has over 70,000 hospitals. Most run on legacy software (or paper). They now need ABDM-compliant systems. This is a massive market:

  • ABDM-compliant EHR (Electronic Health Record) systems
  • Patient consent management (who can access what health data)
  • Lab report digitization and FHIR-compliant formatting
  • Telemedicine platforms integrated with UHI

Health data analytics: Once health records are digital and interoperable, the analytics layer becomes incredibly valuable:

  • Population health dashboards for state governments
  • Insurance underwriting systems using ABDM data (with consent)
  • Drug interaction checkers across multi-provider records
  • Predictive health analytics for public health planning

Pharmacy and diagnostics integration: Linking pharmacies and diagnostic labs to the ABDM ecosystem:

  • e-Prescription systems that work across providers
  • Digital lab reports in FHIR format
  • Medicine delivery platforms with verified prescriptions

Estimated opportunity size: The health tech market in India is projected to reach $50 billion by 2030. ABDM integration work alone could be a Rs 5,000+ crore market for IT service providers.

Why This Matters for Agencies

Government health departments at the state level are actively procuring technology for ABDM compliance. This is not theoretical -- tenders are live on GeM (Government e-Marketplace) right now. If your agency has health tech experience and can demonstrate ABDM compliance capability, there is real revenue here.

GeM: Government Procurement Unlocked

Speaking of GeM -- let us talk about the Government e-Marketplace, because it is one of the least discussed but most practical opportunities for tech agencies in India.

GeM by the Numbers

Metric Value (FY 2025-26)
Total GMV (cumulative) Rs 4.5 lakh crore+
Registered sellers 85 lakh+
Registered buyers 1 lakh+ government organizations
IT/software services orders (annual) Rs 15,000-20,000 crore estimated
Average order processing time 7-10 days for direct purchase

How Tech Agencies Can Participate

Direct listing as a service provider: Register on GeM as a seller. List your services (web development, mobile app development, AI/ML services, cloud consulting). Government buyers can directly purchase from you.

Bid on GeM tenders: Government organizations post technology requirements as tenders. These range from Rs 5 lakh website projects to Rs 50 crore+ platform builds.

Categories with active demand:

  • Custom software development
  • Mobile application development
  • Cloud migration and management
  • Cybersecurity audits and implementation
  • AI/ML solution development
  • Website design and development
  • IT staff augmentation

The Reality of Government Work

I will be honest. Government projects come with unique challenges that we have experienced firsthand:

The good:

  • Payment is guaranteed (it is government money)
  • Projects can be large and long-term
  • You build a track record that opens doors to more government work
  • Volume of tenders is increasing every quarter

The challenging:

  • Payment cycles are long (60-120 days is normal, sometimes longer)
  • Requirements documentation can be vague or contradictory
  • Decision-making involves multiple stakeholders
  • Scope changes happen frequently with limited formal change management
  • Compliance and documentation requirements are heavy
  • Price competition drives margins down on commodity work

The deal-breakers to watch for:

  • Projects where the scope is undefined but the budget is fixed
  • Tenders that seem written for a specific vendor (common, unfortunately)
  • Requirements for physical office presence in specific cities
  • Unrealistic timelines with penalty clauses

At CODERCOPS, we have selectively pursued GeM opportunities where the scope is clear, the timeline is reasonable, and the project aligns with our technical strengths. We do not chase every tender. Selectivity is important here.

Smart City Projects: AI Integration

India's Smart Cities Mission covers 100 cities with a total outlay of Rs 2.05 lakh crore. While much of this goes to physical infrastructure (roads, water, sewage), the technology component is growing.

Active Technology Domains

Domain What Is Being Built Tech Stack Needed
ICCC (Integrated Command and Control Centers) City-wide monitoring dashboards IoT, real-time data pipelines, dashboards
Traffic management AI-based traffic signal optimization Computer vision, edge computing, ML
Water management Smart metering, leak detection IoT sensors, data analytics
Solid waste management Route optimization, bin monitoring GPS tracking, optimization algorithms
Public safety CCTV analytics, emergency response Video analytics, real-time alerting
Citizen services Digital service delivery portals Web/mobile apps, API integrations
Energy management Smart grid, solar rooftop monitoring IoT, energy analytics

AI Opportunities in Smart Cities

The next wave of smart city projects is specifically requesting AI capabilities:

  • Computer vision for traffic monitoring and public safety
  • Predictive maintenance for city infrastructure
  • NLP chatbots for citizen grievance handling in local languages
  • Demand forecasting for water and power distribution
  • Route optimization for municipal services

These are not theoretical -- Smart City SPVs (Special Purpose Vehicles) are actively procuring AI solutions. The challenge is that they often want end-to-end solutions, not just software. You may need to partner with hardware vendors and system integrators.

Education Tech Under NEP 2020

The National Education Policy 2020 is driving a massive digitization push in Indian education. The Academic Bank of Credits (ABC), SWAYAM (online courses), and DIKSHA (school education platform) are creating technology infrastructure needs.

Opportunity Areas

Learning Management Systems (LMS): Every university is being pushed to offer blended learning. They need LMS platforms that:

  • Integrate with ABC for credit transfer
  • Support Indic languages
  • Work on low-bandwidth connections
  • Include proctored examination capabilities
  • Generate UGC-compliant analytics

Student information systems: Universities need modern student management systems that integrate with DigiLocker for verified credentials and ABC for credit tracking.

EdTech content platforms: NEP's emphasis on multidisciplinary education creates demand for:

  • Cross-disciplinary course content platforms
  • Skill assessment and mapping tools
  • Industry-academia collaboration portals

Estimated market: India's EdTech market is valued at $7.5 billion in 2026, with government-funded educational technology projects worth Rs 3,000-5,000 crore annually.

Account Aggregator Framework: The Quiet Revolution

The Account Aggregator (AA) framework is perhaps the most technically elegant piece of India's DPI. It allows consent-based sharing of financial data between institutions through licensed intermediaries.

How It Works

User (Data Owner)
    |
    v
Account Aggregator (Licensed intermediary)
    |
    ├── Pulls data from FIPs (Financial Information Providers)
    │   ├── Banks
    │   ├── Insurance companies
    │   ├── Mutual funds
    │   ├── Tax authorities
    │   └── Pension funds
    |
    └── Shares with FIUs (Financial Information Users)
        ├── Lending institutions
        ├── Wealth managers
        ├── Insurance underwriters
        └── Personal finance apps

What You Can Build

Lending platforms using AA data: Instead of asking borrowers for 6 months of bank statements (PDF uploads, manual verification), you can pull verified financial data through AA in real-time. This enables:

  • Instant credit decisioning
  • Cash flow-based lending for MSMEs
  • Working capital lines based on real receivables data
  • Personal loan underwriting without documentation

Personal finance management: With user consent, aggregate data from all financial accounts into a single view. Build:

  • Net worth trackers
  • Expense categorization across accounts
  • Investment portfolio consolidation
  • Tax planning tools with actual data

Insurance underwriting: Access verified financial and health data to:

  • Automate health insurance underwriting
  • Create usage-based insurance products
  • Build claims processing systems with verified data

The market is real: Over 90 financial institutions are live on the AA ecosystem. Sahamati (the industry alliance) reports growing transaction volumes. RBI has been expanding the categories of data that can be shared through AA.

Where CODERCOPS Is Positioning

Let me be specific about our approach to the GovTech opportunity. We are not trying to be a large systems integrator. We are not competing with TCS or Infosys for Rs 500 crore projects with 200-person teams.

Our strategy is focused:

1. Integration middleware and API layers. We help companies connect to India Stack APIs -- UPI, AA, ABDM, ONDC, DigiLocker. Most of our clients are startups or mid-size companies that need to integrate these systems into their products. This is our sweet spot.

2. AI layer on top of government data. Government systems generate enormous amounts of data. Building AI applications that make this data actionable -- health analytics, education insights, commerce intelligence -- is where we see the most interesting work.

3. Selective GeM participation. We bid on GeM tenders that align with our stack (Next.js, Python, AI/ML) where the scope is clearly defined. We do not chase volume.

4. Helping global clients understand India's DPI. Our international clients (US, UK, Australia, Gulf) increasingly want to enter the Indian market or build products that integrate with India's digital infrastructure. We are their bridge.

Our Stack for GovTech Projects

Layer Technology
Frontend Next.js, React, Tailwind CSS
Backend Node.js (TypeScript), Python (FastAPI)
AI/ML Python, LangChain, OpenAI/Claude APIs
Databases PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis
Cloud AWS (primary), Azure (for government compliance)
Mobile React Native
API Integration Custom middleware for India Stack APIs
Security OWASP compliance, data encryption at rest and in transit

Practical Steps for Agencies and Startups

If you want to participate in India's GovTech opportunity, here is a concrete playbook.

For Agencies

Step 1: Get your basics right

  • Register on GeM as a seller
  • Get GSTIN if you do not have one (mandatory for government work)
  • Obtain DUNS number for larger tenders
  • Get ISO 27001 certification (not mandatory but significantly helps)

Step 2: Build India Stack expertise

  • Work through sandbox environments for UPI, ONDC, ABDM, AA
  • Build internal demo projects integrating these APIs
  • Document your integration capabilities

Step 3: Start small

  • Bid on smaller GeM tenders (Rs 5-25 lakh range)
  • Take on India Stack integration work for startups
  • Build a portfolio of government-adjacent projects

Step 4: Partner strategically

  • System integrators need specialized tech partners
  • Hardware vendors need software teams
  • Consulting firms need implementation partners

For Startups

Step 1: Pick one DPI layer and go deep

  • Do not try to build on everything at once
  • UPI, ONDC, AA, or ABDM -- pick one and become excellent at it

Step 2: Solve a specific problem

  • "We make it easy for hospitals to comply with ABDM" beats "We are a health tech platform"
  • "We help kiranas get on ONDC" beats "We are an e-commerce enabler"

Step 3: Validate before building

  • Talk to 50 potential users before writing code
  • Government stakeholders will tell you what they actually need (it is often different from what the policy document says)

Step 4: Plan for bureaucratic reality

  • Sales cycles in GovTech are 6-18 months
  • Budget accordingly
  • Pilot programs are your friend -- prove value before scaling

The Export Opportunity

India's DPI is not just a domestic story. Over 15 countries are actively studying or adopting India's digital infrastructure model:

Country/Region What They Are Adopting
Singapore UPI-PayNow linkage (live)
UAE UPI payments (live)
Sri Lanka UPI payments (live)
France UPI payments (live)
Brazil Studying Aadhaar model for digital ID
Nigeria Exploring DPI stack for financial inclusion
Philippines UPI-based payments pilot
East Africa Mobile payment interoperability based on UPI principles
ASEAN Multiple countries exploring ONDC-like commerce protocols

This creates opportunity for Indian tech companies that understand DPI deeply to serve as implementation partners for other countries adopting similar systems. If you have built on India Stack, you have expertise that is increasingly valuable globally.

The Honest Bottom Line

India's GovTech opportunity is real, large, and growing. But it is not easy money:

What is genuinely exciting:

  • The infrastructure is world-class and open
  • The scale is unmatched -- 1.4 billion users
  • Government is actively pushing digital adoption
  • India's DPI is being exported globally
  • The API ecosystem is maturing rapidly

What is genuinely hard:

  • Government procurement is slow and bureaucratic
  • Payment cycles are long
  • Requirements can be ambiguous
  • Competition from large IT services firms is intense
  • Compliance and security requirements are demanding
  • Political and policy changes can shift priorities

Our honest assessment: If you are a small agency (under 50 people), do not try to be a primary government contractor on large projects. Instead, build deep expertise on specific India Stack APIs and position yourself as the integration specialist that larger firms come to. Or build products on top of DPI and sell to the private sector.

The smartest play for most of us is not selling to the government -- it is building on what the government has built and selling to businesses and consumers who benefit from that infrastructure.

India has given us the rails. The trains we build on those rails -- that is where the real opportunity lies.

At CODERCOPS, we help startups and enterprises integrate with India's digital public infrastructure. Whether you need UPI payment integration, ONDC marketplace connectivity, or ABDM-compliant health tech solutions, our team has production experience with these APIs. Reach out at codercops.com to discuss your project.

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