NCAER - NATIONAL DATA INNOVATION CENTRE
oplus_137363456
NCAER collaborated with The Quantum Hub (TQH) to organise a convening titled India’s Transformation: The Evolving Landscape of Digital Inclusion on 12th June 2026. The convening brough together researchers, policymakers, practitioners, industry representatives, and civil society organisations to discuss, “India’s Transformation: The Evolving Landscape of Digital Inclusion”, a research report jointly produced by NCAER and TQH using NCAER’s IHDS-III data.
The report moves beyond conventional measures of digital access to examine how Indians access, use, and benefit from digital technologies, highlighting the ways in which age, gender, education, geography, and socioeconomic circumstances continue to shape digital participation.
Mr. Suresh Goyal (Director General, NCAER) delivered the Opening Address of the convening. Dr Sonalde Desai (Professor and Centre Director, NCAER-NDIC) delivered a Special Address with emphasis on digital connectivity and the evolution of technology facilitating the same.
The convening featured presentations on the report’s key findings by Dr Dibyasree Ganguly (Associate Fellow, NCAER) and Ms. Garima Agarwal (Analyst, Public Policy, The Quantum Hub), followed by a keynote address by Dr Deepak Mishra (Distinguished Visiting Professor, ICRIER), who situated India’s digital inclusion journey within a broader global context.
In a fireside chat titled “Voices from the Ground”, Dr Jahnvi Andharia (Director and Research Fellow, ISST), moderated a discussion among three panelists whose experiences reflected the changing realities of digital participation in India.
The event concluded with a panel discussion on “From Access to Meaningful Digital Participation”, moderated by Ms. Aparajita Bharti (Founding Partner, The Quantum Hub), featuring Ms. Andrea Wojnar (Representative, UNFPA India), Ms. Anupriya Mohta (Manager, Government Affairs & Public Policy, YouTube), Dr. Bornali Bhandari (Professor, NCAER), and Mr. John Khiangte (Director, Public Policy & Government Affairs, Microsoft India & South Asia). Drawing on the report’s findings, the discussion explored pathways for advancing more meaningful and equitable participation in India’s digital economy.
Dr Pallavi Choudhuri (Senior Fellow and Deputy Director, NCAER-NDIC) delivered the Closing Address of the event with reflections on the proceedings of the day and gratitude for all participants. The convening served as a reminder that the challenge ahead is to ensure that India’s digital transformation creates opportunities that are accessible, meaningful, and equitable for all.
Read the report below:
https://ncaer.org/publication/the-evolving-landscape-of-digital-inclusion-in-india/
Suggested citation:
Ganguly, D., Agarwal, G., Bharti, A., Vaddadi, H., Chaudhry, S., Choudhuri, P., & Desai, S. (2026). The Evolving Landscape of Digital Inclusion in India. National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) and The Quantum Hub (TQH), Delhi, India.