In a landmark development to accelerate India’s digital transformation journey, the EkStep Foundation and global technology giant IBM have formalised a strategic collaboration focused on leveraging Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and Responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI). The partnership, announced on May 14, 2025, is poised to foster inclusive, population-scale digital advancement across critical sectors.

This collaboration underscores the mutual commitment of both organisations to harness technological innovation for societal benefit. The initial focus areas of this engagement will be digital transformation in agriculture and the development of frameworks for the responsible use of AI in India.

Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) refers to the foundational digital systems and platforms, such as identity, payments, and data exchange, that serve as enablers for scalable and inclusive service delivery across various sectors. DPI has gained prominence as a model that fosters transparency, efficiency, and accessibility in public services. EkStep Foundation, known for its contributions to DPI through initiatives such as the Sunbird open-source platform, brings a wealth of expertise in building public-good digital systems. IBM, on the other hand, contributes its deep technological capabilities, particularly in AI and cloud services.

By working together, EkStep and IBM aim to build scalable solutions that address pressing challenges in Indian agriculture—a sector that employs nearly half of the country’s workforce. The partnership will explore how DPI and AI technologies can improve access to information, market linkages, and climate-resilient practices for farmers. This could lead to better yield prediction, efficient resource use, and reduced risk for stakeholders in the agricultural value chain.

A key component of this collaboration is the emphasis on Responsible AI. Responsible AI refers to the design, development, and deployment of AI systems in ways that are ethical, transparent, and aligned with societal values. It promotes accountability in AI decision-making, safeguards privacy, and mitigates bias and unintended consequences. Through this alliance, IBM and EkStep aim to co-create frameworks and practices that reflect India’s unique socio-economic context while upholding global best practices.

The initiative will also serve as a platform for open dialogue and cross-sectoral collaboration, engaging stakeholders from government, industry, academia, and civil society. By combining domain expertise, technological innovation, and a commitment to ethical AI, the collaboration seeks to catalyse systemic impact at scale.

“We are proud to partner with EkStep Foundation to drive inclusive, at-scale digital transformation in India,” IBM stated. “Together, we will explore how Digital Public Infrastructure and AI can be applied to solve challenges in agriculture and scale Responsible AI for the nation.”

This partnership comes at a time when the Government of India is actively promoting digital transformation through initiatives such as Digital India and IndiaAI. The EkStep–IBM collaboration aligns with national goals of achieving equitable growth, enhancing productivity, and ensuring digital inclusion across all strata of society.

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As the collaboration progresses, it is expected to yield replicable models and toolkits that can be adopted across sectors and geographies. Both organisations have reaffirmed their commitment to working in the spirit of public good, ensuring that the benefits of digital transformation are accessible to all. With this alliance, India takes a significant step toward embedding ethical principles in technological progress while unlocking new avenues for innovation, empowerment, and sustainability.

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