Public Digital Backbone/Glossary

General Glossary of key terms

Aadhaar: India's biometric identification system that covers over 1.2 billion people, providing a unique 12-digit identity number based on biometric and demographic data.

Civil Society: Organizations and institutions that act in the public interest to promote collective values and goals, often independent of the government.

Data Privacy: The right of individuals to control or influence what information related to them may be collected and stored and by whom and to whom that information may be disclosed.

DEPA (Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture): An initiative in India that provides a framework for consent-based data sharing, allowing individuals to control their own data.

Digital Public Infrastructure: A digital framework that facilitates the flow of people, money, and information in a society in a secure and efficient manner, often seen as a public good.

Governance: The processes, customs, policies, laws, and institutions affecting the way a group or community is directed and controlled.

Inclusion: The action or state of including or of being included within a group or structure, ensuring that services are accessible to all members of society.

India Stack: A set of platforms and services in India, including Aadhaar, UPI, and DEPA, that collectively serve as a model of digital public infrastructure.

Public Digital Backbone: The foundational digital infrastructure that underpins the functioning of a modern society, facilitating efficient, secure, and inclusive flow of people, money, and information.

Regulators: Entities or organizations, often governmental, responsible for creating, monitoring, and enforcing rules and regulations in specific sectors.

Stakeholders: Individuals or groups with an interest in a particular decision or project, including government agencies, the private sector, non-profit organizations, and the general public.

UPI (Unified Payments Interface): A real-time payment system developed by the National Payments Corporation of India, facilitating inter-bank transactions by instantly transferring funds between two bank accounts on a mobile platform.