Spotlight January 2026

NIC Strengthens Global Digital Cooperation through ICD Engagements with Cuba and Kenya

The National Informatics Centre (NIC), through its International Cooperation Division (ICD) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), continues to play a key role in advancing India’s digital diplomacy. By sharing India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) with partner nations, NIC supports inclusive, efficient, and technology-driven governance—particularly across countries of the Global South.

UIndia’s DPI model, built on scalable, open, and citizen-centric platforms, has attracted global interest for its ability to deliver public services at population scale. Through ICD, NIC facilitates international cooperation by offering technology solutions, technical expertise, and capacity-building support to countries seeking to strengthen their digital governance ecosystems.

Role of the International Cooperation Division

The International Cooperation Division of NIC serves as the nodal unit for engaging with foreign governments, international organizations, and multilateral institutions on digital governance. Its mandate includes sharing India’s proven e-Governance platforms, supporting customization for local contexts, providing technical assistance, and enabling knowledge exchange through training and collaborative projects.

Engagement with Cuba

A high-level Cuban delegation led by H.E. Juan Carlos Marsan visited NIC Headquarters on 18 November 2025. The delegation held discussions with Shri Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, MeitY and Director General, NIC, along with senior officials of the International Cooperation Division.

The discussions focused on digital governance, healthcare digitalization, and technology-enabled public services. NIC showcased several of India’s DPI platforms, including eHospital, eOffice, and AI-enabled governance solutions.

The Cuban delegation expressed strong interest in adopting these platforms, particularly for improving healthcare access and administrative efficiency. Both sides discussed possibilities of pilot implementations, technical consultations, and capacity-building support for Cuban officials and IT teams.

Kenya’s delegation, led by H.E. Mercy Wanjau, visited NIC for strategic discussions with Dr. RK Pathak, DDG and HOG (ICD),NIC to explore deeper collaboration in ICT-enabled public service delivery

Engagement with Kenya

A Kenyan delegation led by H.E. Mercy Wanjau visited NIC on 21 November 2025 and held strategic discussions with Dr. R.K. Pathak, Deputy Director General and Head of Group (ICD), NIC.

The focus was on strengthening ICT-enabled public service delivery and integrated governance. NIC demonstrated key platforms including the Interoperable Criminal Justice System (ICJS), eOffice, and eHospital.

The Kenyan delegation showed keen interest in integrated governance platforms, especially ICJS, for improving coordination, transparency, and service efficiency. Discussions also covered possible technical collaboration, system customization, and phased implementation strategies.

Capacity Building and Customization

A key pillar of NIC’s international cooperation is capacity building. ICD supports partner countries through:

Training programs for government officials and technical teams
Knowledge-sharing workshops and study visits
Localization of platforms to suit language, legal, and administrative frameworks
Ongoing technical support and system upgrades

This approach ensures that technology transfer is not just about software, but about building long-term digital capability.

Conclusion

The engagements with Cuba and Kenya led to a shared understanding on exploring pilot projects for selected Digital Public Infrastructure platforms, setting up technical consultations for system adaptation, developing training and knowledge-exchange programmes, and strengthening institutional cooperation through structured follow-up mechanisms. These discussions lay a strong foundation for deeper and sustained collaboration in digital governance.