AWS is revolutionizing government collaboration by driving citizen-centric platforms like CoWIN, UMANG, and DigiLocker. Through innovative cloud solutions, AWS ensures scalability, security, and efficiency, enabling transformative projects across healthcare, governance, and transportation. By integrating global best practices with local needs, fostering startups, and prioritizing sustainability, AWS empowers India’s digital evolution, redefining public service delivery for millions of citizens. Pankaj Gupta, Leader – Public Sector Enterprises and Government, AWS India & South Asia shares more in an exclusive interaction with Dr. Ravi Gupta, Founder & CEO, Elets Technomedia and Editor-in-Chief of eGov magazine.

Edited by Abhineet Kumar | Senior Sub-Editor | Elets News Network (ENN)

How has AWS’s vision evolved in terms of its role in the government sector, particularly in driving large-scale citizen-centric solutions like CoWIN and other digital initiatives in India?

AWS’s vision for the government sector has evolved significantly over the years, with a strong emphasis on positively impacting citizens’ lives. This mission has remained fundamental to AWS’s public sector team, especially in India. When AWS began its public sector operations in India eight years ago, the goal was ambitious yet clear: to touch the lives of every citizen. While it seemed challenging at the time, the journey has demonstrated how transformative this mission can be when driven by the right technology solutions.

AWS’s involvement in population-scale platforms exemplifies this evolution. One of the most notable projects was AWS’s role in the CoWIN platform, which served as the backbone of India’s vaccination drive during the COVID-19 pandemic. Initially launched on  , for frontline and healthcare workers, the platform began with a modest target of delivering 200,000 vaccinations. Over time, it scaled massively, reaching a peak of 25 million vaccinations in a single day. This scale-up—from 200,000 to 25 million vaccinations—represents a 1,000x increase, underscoring the agility and robustness of AWS’s cloud infrastructure.

The ability to scale dynamically, as AWS demonstrated with CoWIN, highlights the flexibility of cloud platforms. Beyond computing, networking, and storage, AWS offers over 200 services, including databases, security, and artificial intelligence. These services played a crucial role in scaling the CoWIN platform, enabling efficient operations without dependence on third-party services. AWS’s commitment to security is another critical aspect, with over 300 security and compliance offerings, including 143 certifications such as PCI DSS and HIPAA, ensuring the highest standards of data protection.

Looking ahead, CoWIN is set to evolve into a broader health initiative. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to announce its transformation into a platform for centralizing vaccination records for children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers. This initiative will address pressing public health issues such as malnutrition and high infant mortality rates by ensuring proper vaccination tracking. The centralized platform will empower the government to make data-driven interventions, improving healthcare outcomes on a national scale.

Beyond healthcare, AWS is integral to India’s broader Digital India initiative, accelerating citizen service delivery. For instance, the UMANG platform (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) consolidates 1700 services from 300 government departments into a single app. With over 50 million users, and DigiLocker, another key platform for secure digital document storage, boasting over 300 million users, these initiatives exemplify AWS’s role in making government services paperless, contactless, and seamless.

In transportation, AWS has contributed to projects like DigiYatra, which uses biometric processing at airports to streamline passenger experiences. DigiYatra enables travellers to use their faces as boarding passes, enhancing efficiency. With 4.5 million users already onboard, the government plans to expand the initiative to 100 airports across India, further revolutionizing air travel.

At the core of AWS’s public sector approach is its customer-centric philosophy. AWS positions itself not merely as a cloud provider but as a partner that deeply understands government challenges and pain points. This collaborative approach is supported by a vast network of over 130,000 partners across more than 200 countries, providing specialised expertise in areas like cloud migration and modernisation to deliver tailored solutions.

In conclusion, AWS’s vision for the government sector centres on driving large-scale, impactful change through technology. From healthcare to digital governance and transportation, AWS is leading innovation and efficiency. The company’s ability to scale solutions rapidly, its strong focus on security, and its customer-centric approach have established AWS as a trusted partner for governments worldwide, enhancing citizens’ lives through cutting-edge cloud technologies.

How is AWS, through its partnership with EkStep and the Joint Innovation Centre, supporting India’s startup ecosystem in driving innovation for Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)? What role do startups play in addressing real-life challenges faced by citizens?

Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) has become a major focus for governments globally, including India, as well as for AWS. Our vision at AWS for scaling DPI involves not only building new infrastructure but also enhancing existing ones. Through our partnership with EkStep Foundation, a philanthropic non-profit organisation, we have established a Joint Innovation Centre. This centre aims to support the creation and development of new DPI solutions, similar to the success of initiatives like CoWIN, Aarogya Setu, the Government eMarketplace (GeM), UMANG, and DigiLocker, all of which are part of India Stack, the government’s digital infrastructure repository.

One key objective of the Joint Innovation Centre is to tackle real-world problems by fostering innovation within India’s thriving startup ecosystem. Startups play a crucial role in driving this innovation. AWS, through this centre, provides startups with essential resources, including credits, community support, and vital connections with the government. This collaboration enables startups to address real-life challenges faced by citizens, offering practical and actionable solutions.

Furthermore, AWS is committed to making these DPI platforms easily deployable, not just in India but globally. We are working on transforming these platforms into “single-click deployment” solutions, simplifying adoption and customization for other nations. An example of this is MOSIP (Modular Open Source Identity Platform), a program designed to provide foundational identity systems like Aadhaar for developing countries. By offering modular, open-source infrastructure, we enable these nations to experiment with the platforms before full deployment, which is crucial for successful adoption.

In addition to technological deployment, AWS also focuses on providing policy guidelines, documentation, and necessary support for countries to implement these platforms effectively. Through our Open Government Solutions Library, nations can access a comprehensive stack that includes DPI software, programmatic support, and marketplace listings, enabling them to seamlessly adopt and implement digital infrastructure solutions.

How does AWS leverage global best practices, such as those from organisations like FINRA, to enhance initiatives like the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) in India? Additionally, how do you ensure a balance between learning from international experiences and adapting those insights to the unique needs of India’s digital public infrastructure?

DPI (Digital Public Infrastructure) is not only about taking India’s experience to the world but also about learning from global experiences and applying them locally. As a global company, AWS continually gathers insights from various regions and tailors them to specific contexts. For example, FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, is one of the world’s largest financial regulators and manages massive volumes of financial transactions on a global scale. We adopt best practices from organisations like FINRA and apply them where relevant.

In India, when working with initiatives like the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), we see similar opportunities. GeM is currently the world’s second-largest B2B marketplace, with South Korea leading, primarily because they have integrated work contracts. GeM, on the other hand, is still focused on goods and services. However, with the introduction of work contracts, it has the potential to become the largest B2B marketplace globally.

The key is to incorporate global best practices while ensuring collaboration and adaptability. India learns from the world and shares its innovations in return. As Prime Minister Modi often says, ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’—the world is one family. India does not operate in isolation; we strive for global harmonization, fostering synergies, mutual learning, and collaboration. It is a two-way street, where we are open to both sharing our knowledge and learning from others.

As the government explores the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance service delivery, what are some of the most impactful examples you have observed in sectors such as healthcare, public procurement, and enterprise operations?

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to dominate discussions across various sectors, its adoption in government practices emerges as a crucial area of focus. The potential of AI lies not only in the buzz it generates but also in its practical applications to address pressing issues faced by citizens, patients, and students. Below, I discuss three significant examples of how AI is being utilized to improve government services and streamline processes.

●     Revolutionising Healthcare with AI

The National Health Authority of India (NHA) exemplifies the transformative potential of AI in the healthcare sector. Over the past six years, the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) has achieved remarkable milestones, including 68million hospitalizations and expenditures of $11.2 billion. With approximately 350 million PMJAY ID cards issued and a network of 30,000 public and private hospitals onboarded, the program demonstrates a significant commitment to enhancing healthcare access.

However, as with any large system, challenges persist, particularly regarding fraud and the integrity of claims submitted. To combat these issues, the NHA is implementing robust fraud analytics systems supported by AI. A major hurdle has been the disparate nature of health data stored across various platforms, which hinders effective monitoring and analysis.

The introduction of a central data lake is a crucial step forward in this regard. This data lake integrates both structured and unstructured data, enabling the NHA to derive meaningful insights. By leveraging AI tools such as Bedrock and Textract, the NHA can analyze health records, identify fraudulent claims in near real-time, and provide actionable insights to decision-makers. This system enhances the government’s ability to maintain the integrity of the healthcare program while ensuring that citizens receive the benefits they deserve.

●     Empowering Businesses through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM)

Another promising application of AI is seen in the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), which connects over 2 million sellers, many of whom are from Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns, with government procurement processes. GeM has dramatically changed the landscape of public procurement, making it more accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises.

To further enhance user engagement and operational efficiency, GeM has adopted AI-driven solutions. Previously reliant on static chatbots, the platform now utilizes dynamic and context-aware AI systems to assist sellers. With the integration of AI technologies such as Amazon Bedrock and Amazon Kendra, GeM can not only provide answers to sellers’ inquiries about Request for Proposals (RFPs) but also improve the overall user experience by personalizing interactions.

The evolution from a manual system to a conversational chatbot that understands context and user needs is a game-changer. GeM employees can now focus on strategic initiatives while the AI system handles routine queries, resulting in increased productivity and better service delivery.

●     Streamlining Operations in Large Enterprises

Coal India, the world’s largest coal producer, has also embraced AI to streamline its operations. With 260,000 employees, the company handles numerous RFPs, which traditionally involved labour-intensive processes. By implementing an AI-based engine, Coal India has automated the generation and evaluation of RFPs.

This shift has not only reduced manual workloads but also improved the accuracy and efficiency of RFP assessments. By integrating AI solutions, Coal India is setting a precedent for other large enterprises seeking to enhance operational efficiencies.

●     Customization and Data Security

One of the remarkable aspects of adopting AI in government practices is the flexibility it offers. As a service provider, we empower organizations to choose the foundation models that best suit their needs. This includes models from various third-party providers such as Anthropic, Cohere, Meta, and AI21 Labs. The customization options allow organizations to fine-tune these models with their data, which is essential for generating relevant insights.

Moreover, security remains a paramount concern. With over 143 security standards in place, we ensure that data is not only effectively utilized but also protected. The real value of AI lies in harnessing the right data with robust security measures, ensuring that the insights derived are both actionable and trustworthy.

These examples—NHA’s healthcare innovations, GeM’s transformation of public procurement, and Coal India’s operational efficiency—demonstrate the practical applications of AI in government practices. The focus on real-world problems and citizen-centric solutions is crucial for effective governance. As AI continues to evolve, its potential to enhance government services will only grow, making it a vital tool for future development.

You’ve had extensive experience in the enterprise sector. How can those successes be replicated in the government sector?

Thank you for the question. It’s remarkable to note that 88 of the top 100 enterprises in India, based on market capitalization, rely on Amazon Web Services (AWS). This includes seven of the ten largest banks, such as Axis Bank and Ratnakar Bank, along with all of the top 20 insurance companies. Additionally, over 20,000 small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) have built their operations on AWS.

To illustrate how this success can be translated to the government sector, let me share two examples. The first is the Numaligarh Refinery, which embarked on an ambitious expansion project to increase its refinery capacity from 3 million metric tons to 9 million metric tons. This required substantial investment and completion within 48 months. To achieve this, collaboration among various internal and external stakeholders was critical. We partnered with them to create an integrated electronic data and document management system. This system streamlined their engineering reviews, workflow approvals, and workforce management onto a single platform, reducing their total cost of ownership (TCO) by over 25%.

The second example is Apollo Tyres, which faced challenges in enhancing productivity and improving machinery efficiency. They chose to deploy their SAP RISE system on AWS, marking one of the largest SAP RISE implementations in India. We also helped them establish a central data lake and an Internet of Things (IoT) system. This initiative enabled them to consolidate data from various operations—sales, marketing, production, and finance—that previously operated in silos. By integrating these systems, Apollo Tyres improved their machinery efficiency by over 8%, leading to increased tyre production.

These examples demonstrate how leveraging technology, collaboration, and data integration can drive efficiency and success—not only in the private sector but also in government initiatives.

In discussing the enterprise sector, you mentioned the significant role of public sector undertakings (PSUs) within the government ecosystem. Can you share some success stories from the PSU sector that exemplify effective enterprise practices and outcomes?

The public sector in India has a robust ecosystem of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) that contribute significantly to the nation’s economy. One notable example is the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL), one of the world’s largest electricity distribution companies, serving over 27 million citizens in Maharashtra. MSEDCL has achieved remarkable improvements by leveraging cloud technology to enhance operational efficiency and customer service.

Recently, the company undertook an ambitious migration of over 100 applications to AWS, including critical systems like billing and load forecasting applications. This strategic move resulted in an impressive application availability rate of 99.5%. By running their databases as a service on AWS, MSEDCL improved service reliability and operational agility. This initiative highlights how PSUs can harness cloud solutions to boost productivity and enhance service delivery.

Another success story is the Numaligarh Refinery, which has implemented advanced technology to streamline operations, improve productivity, and enhance overall efficiency. These examples illustrate the transformative potential within the PSU ecosystem, showcasing how strategic technological investments can significantly improve performance and service quality.

As we discuss the impact of technology, it’s essential to acknowledge the environmental implications of these advancements. Sustainability is a critical consideration in today’s digital transformation landscape. How is AWS contributing to this goal?

AWS is committed to helping businesses reduce their carbon footprints while enhancing operational capabilities. We have initiated several sustainability measures, including a pledge to power all global operations and data centres with 100% renewable energy by 2025. Impressively, AWS reached this target ahead of schedule in 2024. This accomplishment establishes AWS as the world’s largest purchaser of renewable energy since 2020. Additionally, AWS aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, ten years ahead of the Paris Agreement.

Also Read | AWS is enabling population-scale government platforms in India

In terms of water conservation, AWS has set ambitious goals to become water-positive by 2030. The company has already returned over 3.9 billion litres of water to the communities it operates in, reflecting its commitment to responsible water stewardship.

AWS also provides tools and frameworks to help customers meet their sustainability goals. One such tool is the Carbon Footprint Tool, which helps businesses estimate their emissions from cloud deployments. Moreover, the sustainability pillar within AWS’s Well-Architected Framework offers best practices and guidance to help organizations build solutions aligned with their sustainability objectives.

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