GITEX Africa 2025, Africa’s largest technology and startup exhibition, concluded its three-day program in Marrakesh, Morocco, bringing together global policymakers, innovators, and visionaries. The summit served as a vital platform for collaborative discussions on fostering inclusive and equitable growth within the global digital economy.
Representing India at the prestigious event was Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (Independent Charge) and Minister of State for Education. His participation included high-level bilateral meetings, panel discussions, and interactions with Indian startups showcasing cutting-edge innovations.
India’s Digital Public Infrastructure: A Model for Global Collaboration
During his engagements, Minister Chaudhary highlighted India’s transformative journey in building robust Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) systems. He underscored the significant impact of platforms such as:
- Aadhaar (digital identity system)
- UPI (digital payments)
- ONDC (open e-commerce network)
- Healthcare digital initiatives
He emphasized that India’s DPI has revolutionized service delivery and citizen empowerment, making it a model for global collaboration. Minister Chaudhary also showcased how India is integrating emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, fintech, and digital infrastructure into its skilling initiatives.
One notable success story he highlighted was the Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH), which has onboarded over one crore users within just one and a half years, demonstrating the scalability of India’s digital initiatives.
Potential for India-Africa Technological Partnership:
A central and recurring theme throughout Minister Chaudhary’s participation was emphasizing the significant potential for mutually beneficial technological collaboration between India and the diverse nations of Africa. He underscored that India’s extensive experience in developing open-source digital public infrastructure systems uniquely positions it to effectively support other developing economies in their own digitalization journeys through shared knowledge and collaborative efforts.
Minister Chaudhary also highlighted India’s emergence as a key global resource talent hub for Artificial Intelligence (AI) professionals. Referencing the AI Stanford Index 2025 during his discussions, he noted India’s impressive 33.39% year-on-year growth in AI talent hiring. This substantial growth rate clearly indicates the concerted efforts by both the Indian government and industry to cultivate a thriving environment conducive to AI adoption and widespread innovation.
Strengthening Morocco-India Relations:
On the sidelines of GITEX Africa, Minister Chaudhary held a series of productive bilateral meetings with key Moroccan officials, including:
- Ms. Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, Minister of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform
- Prof. Azzedine EL Midaoui, Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation
- Mr. Younes Sekkouri, Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment and Skills
- Mr. Mohammed Saad Berrada, Minister of National Education, Preschool and Sports
The discussions focused on building synergies in artificial intelligence, research collaboration, and capacity building. Minister Chaudhary shared insights into how India’s DPI-driven approach can act as a catalyst for inclusion, innovation, and equitable growth.
These high-level interactions mark significant progress in strengthening technological, educational, and skills-based collaboration between India and Morocco.
India’s Digital Success Stories:
Throughout the summit, India’s leading digital initiatives were highlighted as models for scalable, inclusive development, including:
- Skill India: National program for comprehensive skills development
- Digital India: Initiative to transform India into a digitally empowered society
- Aadhaar: The world’s largest biometric ID system
- UPI: Instant payment platform with over 130 billion transactions in 2024
- DigiLocker: Digital platform for secure issuance and verification of documents
- Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH): A platform for strengthening the digital skilling ecosystem
- DIKSHA: National digital platform supporting teachers with digitized learning content
These initiatives demonstrate how technology-driven models can empower millions and are increasingly being recognized as global best practices, offering adaptable frameworks for other nations pursuing digital transformation.