“It’s high time India competed with global products – Mr Pratik Jain, Co-Founder, MyOperator

“The vision of a digital India 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.​ 

The startup ecosystem is waiting for such initiatives. Absence of startup friendly policies has made many successful startups shift their bases outside India. This initiative can be the start of a big change. I am very optimistic about it.”

On Make in India

“It’s high time India competed with global products. We need to think about designs being equally important as making the product in India. Great to see our Prime Minister pushing the idea of design ahead. Almost every e-governance project that India needs has been successfully piloted somewhere in the country. The daunting task for Digital India will be to take successful pilot projects, replicate and scale them up. With a push for e-governance, a lot more ideas and startups will start around it. It can be road towards a better future. Much awaited initiative.”

On India’s average internet speed that was ranked 115th globally earlier this year among countries studied by services provider Akamai Technologies.

“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.”