Inclusive growth is increasingly recognised as a foundation for long-term economic stability, driving both opportunity and resilience in a rapidly changing world. Instead of limiting progress to a few sectors or groups, a broader approach ensures that the benefits of development are widely shared, thereby fuelling innovation, productivity, and trust in institutions. This extract from a discussion with leaders from Deloitte India and Sri Lanka explores how open networks, free access to information, and public infrastructure can serve as enablers of sustainable growth.
Deloitte works across markets to support organisations and governments in designing systems that unlock widespread economic participation. Here, NSN Murty, Partner – Government & Public Services Consulting Leader of Deloitte South Asia; Viswanathan Ravichandran, Partner – Digital Government of Deloitte India; and Zahra Cader, ESG, Government & Public Services Leader of Deloitte Sri Lanka and Maldives, unpack the mechanisms through which inclusive growth imparts a long-term stabilising force on national economies. They discuss the impact on economies undergoing digital transformation and demographic shifts.
The discussion centres on the value of equitable digital access, supportive policy frameworks, and the creation of scalable public infrastructure such as broadband, digital ID systems, open networks, and open data platforms. These elements not only broaden participation but also create multiplier effects across sectors, from agriculture and manufacturing to healthcare and education.
Deloitte is a firm we associate with assurance services. What does that mean? What is the work that Deloitte does with government and public services?
NSN Murty: As a Deloitte Partner for South Asia in Government and Public Services, we work with governments across the region on a wide range of important initiatives.
NSN Murty, Partner, Government & Public Services Consulting Leader of Deloitte South Asia
“True prosperity is about people’s well-being, not just GDP. In a democratic, largely rural society, equal access to opportunities is fundamental”
Globally, Deloitte is the largest professional services firm, and we actively support governments in areas like education, healthcare, social welfare, and many other domains and the use of technology in service delivery. Our role goes beyond traditional consulting, given we act as trusted advisors and help implement programmes through technology in association with our alliances. In many cases, we also operate these initiatives.
We collaborate closely with international development organisations, central and state governments, and regional bodies. This allows us to deliver real impact across multiple sectors and geographies, supporting transformative change in public service delivery.
We’ve seen a resurgence in India’s digital economy over the last few years. What impact do you think this has had on inclusive development, and has it benefited the ordinary Indian?
Viswanathan Ravichandran: As someone who grew up as the son of a Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) employee, I’ve seen firsthand how access to communication was once a privilege in India. Back then, having a phone at home made you stand out. Today, we’ve witnessed a remarkable transformation, which I call the democratisation of internet and network access.
This has been the foundation of India’s digital resurgence over the last decade. It’s enabled inclusive development by making services accessible to the masses. Initiatives like Unified Payments Interface (UPI), a simple and universal digital payments protocol, were built on this foundation, allowing ordinary Indians to integrate seamlessly with the digital economy.
Can you outline for us the role that Deloitte has played in the Sri Lankan context, in inclusive development?
Zahra Cader: Deloitte’s role is to offer guidance in the implementation of various projects, working across multiple sectors and agencies. In terms of inclusive growth, this includes women’s empowerment, which is close to my heart, given the work I do in livelihood development. Inclusiveness is a core aspect of the projects we commit to internally at Deloitte as well, and this also extends to SME development, local health outcomes, infrastructure development, and more. Our goal is to ensure people from the most underserved communities are considered, involved, or included in as many initiatives as possible.
Does inclusive development necessarily have to be an outcome or a precursor of long-term economic growth and stability?
NSN Murty: From my perspective, inclusive development is not an optional goal. In fact, it’s essential for long-term economic stability in countries like India and Sri Lanka. If a large portion of the population lacks access to healthcare, education, and infrastructure, then growth is limited to certain regions and won’t lead to national prosperity. True prosperity is about people’s well-being, not just GDP. In a democratic, largely rural society, equal access to opportunities is fundamental. It’s not merely about equal outcomes, but also about empowering everyone to reach their potential. That starts with basic needs. Think of roads, housing, toilets, schools, and so on; all of these factors lay the foundation for dignity and future growth. Programmes like the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) Mission and National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) aim to provide these essentials. Once people have a stable, respectful life, they can begin to focus on learning and advancement.
At Deloitte, we actively support government programmes aimed at rural development and education. For example, we work with the Ministry of Rural Development on land mapping via drone technology. This helps identify where to build roads, housing, and improve agricultural yield. As programme managers, we support planning and implementation based on these insights.
We support the Department of School Education to assess the effectiveness of schools across states by analysing data related to teachers, students, and learning outcomes. This helps improve the quality of education in remote government schools.
Another impactful initiative is the midday meal programme, which encourages school attendance by ensuring children receive at least one nutritious meal a day. This small incentive has had a big effect on rural education. Additionally, we are now supporting food grain distribution programmes that align with sustainable development goals like zero poverty and zero hunger. These efforts reflect our broader aim to enable inclusive and equitable development.
Zahra Cader: We’ve also worked on projects that evaluate existing welfare schemes by analysing the data being collected and exploring new models to improve delivery. Some of this work has been part of donor-funded initiatives. A key area of focus is small and medium enterprise development, especially in rural regions, since SMEs drive local economic growth and job creation.
Zahra Cader, ESG, Government & Public Services Leader of Deloitte Sri Lanka and Maldives
“In Sri Lanka, women make up 51% of the population but only 35% contribute to the economy. Tapping into this underutilised potential is essential for sustainable growth”
We support efforts to improve access to finance, helping communities build the capacity to manage funds effectively. Women’s empowerment is another priority. In Sri Lanka, women make up 51% of the population but only 35% contribute to the economy. Tapping into this underutilised potential is essential for sustainable growth. Through the projects we initiate and participate in, we aim to uplift rural communities and drive inclusive development from the ground up.
What key sectors do you believe could have a larger impact on inclusive development outcomes?
Viswanathan Ravichandran: From my perspective, private sector investment will have to lead the way. Both India and Sri Lanka are focusing heavily on attracting foreign investment and improving the ease of doing business. When industries or new technologies enter these markets, they don’t just create jobs, they also upskill local talent and build ecosystems around them, triggering broader development like schools and livelihoods. However, this growth must be balanced with our net zero goals. As we develop, there will be a parallel need for green jobs and knowledge to ensure sustainability remains at the core of our economic progress.
NSN Murty: Beyond agriculture and manufacturing, which are essential areas for inclusive growth, I believe the real focus needs to be on skills. This does not apply exclusively to traditional skills like masonry; I refer to the next generation of skills that align with emerging industries. For example, India’s hub for drone pilots is not in a major city but in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, showing that advanced skills can emerge from smaller towns. Skilling is no longer limited to tier-one cities or formal degrees. As new sectors grow rapidly, industry will demand a wide range of capabilities, creating opportunities for many regardless of their educational background.
To address the skilling challenges in a country like India, where a large agricultural workforce produces a small share of output, we need to rethink access and opportunity. One example I found inspiring came from Bihar during the COVID-19 lockdown. The state introduced skill courses for homemakers, even in rural areas, focused on mushroom farming, which can be done indoors. That initiative not only created livelihoods but also led to mushroom exports.
The key is to align skill cultivation with people’s interests and local opportunities. These opportunities may take the form of shrimp farming, agriculture-related trades, and so on, but the key factor is that these areas need practical skills and the right conditions to flourish. What we are exploring now is the idea of an open network for education, skills, and training. If we can connect learners with institutions and training content at their convenience, it creates a powerful system. This kind of open, accessible model can transform how people across India engage with skill development and build sustainable livelihoods.
Zahra Cader: Agriculture is vital for Sri Lanka, but productivity remains a major challenge. Much of our farming is still subsistence-based, we’re exploring how we can help make the shift towards commercial farming. We’re looking at modernising practices, integrating small farms, and building systems that support value chains connected to exporters. These steps can increase both productivity and farmer income.
Digitisation is equally important. To enable economic growth and reduce poverty, we need to upskill communities, expand access to devices, and improve digital infrastructure. This ensures broader participation in growth.
Similarly, tourism is a low-hanging fruit for inclusive development. As it picks up, it creates opportunities not just within the sector, but also across supporting industries. Alongside agriculture and digitisation, therefore, tourism presents a clear path for broad-based economic growth.
Viswanathan Ravichandran: Let me try to expand how open networks may impact Tourism: imagine tourists coming to Sri Lanka seeking highly personalised experiences—it may be spiritual, cultural, or artisanal in nature. Today, they rely on platforms like TripAdvisor or Airbnb, which limit discovery. With open digital networks, however, we can change that. These networks act as digital public goods, enabling even small villages in Sri Lanka to curate and share information about local guides, homestays, tuk-tuk drivers, and more. Once that ecosystem is digitally visible and bundled with payments, real transformation can begin.
Viswanathan Ravichandran, Partner – Digital Government of Deloitte India
“The ability to democratise information discovery and give equal access to services is powerful”
We’ve already seen success in India through the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). We believe similar frameworks in Sri Lanka could unlock progress across sectors like education, skilling, tourism, arts, and culture by making discovery and service delivery more inclusive and efficient. The real potential lies in enabling communities to participate directly in the digital economy.
Can you give us more context to what you mean by an open network?
NSN Murty: An open network is a system designed to level the playing field by allowing different service providers, big or small, to participate equally, without being restricted to a single platform. Traditional digital platforms like Uber or Airbnb only show options from within their own ecosystem. For example, at Colombo airport, if you open Uber, you’ll only see Uber drivers. If none are available, you need to download another app to access a different service. An open network would not have that limitation.
In an open network, all service providers, including Uber, local cabs, airport taxis, and so on, can be listed in a common registry. A user may simply specify what they want, such as a sedan, a price limit, or pickup point, and the system will show all available options across platforms. This model empowers the buyer with broader choices and better control. A working example of this is Namma Yatri in Bangalore, where people can book rides from various operators on a single interface.
Open networks go beyond mobility. In agriculture, for instance, an open network allows farmers, service providers, and equipment owners to register on a common network. Farmers who cannot afford their own machinery can book equipment from others who have listed it. This model was successfully applied in the state of Haryana to reduce stubble burning. By sharing access to farming equipment through a digital platform, farmers could manage their fields more efficiently between harvest and sowing seasons. It essentially works like a cooperative, but on a digital, transparent, and inclusive infrastructure. These open networks are now being explored for other areas like skilling, education, tourism, and commerce to drive more equitable access and opportunity.
Technically, most technologies today use API architecture, and it’s common to say they are built on open APIs. The idea is that all systems should be able to communicate with each other. The Indian government already mandates that systems be designed to interact, but there’s often a gap between what should happen and what happens in practice. Today, we are exploring how we can make that communication more seamless. While protocols and standards exist, many still struggle to implement them effectively. An open network solves this by providing a backend protocol that allows different systems to connect and interact smoothly.
Viswanathan Ravichandran: What we are actually doing is de-platformisation. Instead of relying on a single, centralised platform that controls everything, we are unbundling services that were once monopolised. This approach challenges the dominance of large platforms by creating open and interoperable systems.
The exciting factor is that this idea is not limited to India. Countries like Kenya and Brazil are also exploring the open network model. The ability to democratise information discovery and give equal access to services is powerful, and interest in this approach is growing quickly across the world.
Are open networks serving goals like financial inclusion, and what has been their impact on development?
Viswanathan Ravichandran: I personally believe open networks can solve almost anything because, at their core, they address two fundamental gaps: discovery of information and fulfilment. For example, India’s ONDC started with sectors like food, textiles, and electronics, and has since expanded into financial services like insurance. This shows how the model can evolve and scale across industries.
A particularly powerful development is in inclusive finance. India’s account aggregator framework, powered by Sahamati, enables individuals to share various financial data points, beyond just credit card or loan history, with lenders, based on their consent. This makes it easier for underbanked individuals to access credit.
Building on this, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) introduced a Unified Lending Interface in 2024. The goal is to make lending more accessible and equitable, especially for people who have traditionally been outside the formal credit system. This is a key step towards financial inclusion.
NSN Murty: To add to that, India’s journey began by first focusing on foundational digital infrastructure, giving every citizen access to a zero-balance bank account, a digital ID known as Aadhaar, and then linking both to a mobile number. This was the base layer. It allowed even the unbanked population to enter the formal financial system. Once that identity and financial access were in place, the government introduced UPI, enabling seamless money transfers and benefit disbursements.
Over time, this setup made it possible to build a rich, consent-based financial profile for individuals, even those without formal assets like land. Through bank transactions, government schemes, and credit history, a digital Know Your Customer (KYC) emerged. Aadhaar enables identification, but banks remain the main source of financial data, as they manage the fund flows.
This foundation, called the JAM trinity (Jan Dhan bank accounts, Aadhaar ID, and Mobile number), made India the largest country in the world for direct benefits transfers. It’s what enabled reliable identity verification and financial inclusion at scale.
Now, open networks are being layered on top of this foundation. They can unlock access to new opportunities, such as helping someone secure a short-term, cash-flow-based microloan to start a small business. Open networks allow demand-side innovation, so small entrepreneurs can sell, transact, or access credit in entirely new ways. India’s digital public infrastructure laid the groundwork. The next phase is being driven by open networks, which are enabling inclusive access to commerce, credit, and services in ways that were never possible before.
Viswanathan Ravichandran: Another important development from the government’s side, which we were fortunate to support, involves the digitisation of business tax IDs in India, specifically the Permanent Account Number (PAN). Traditionally, getting a PAN meant paying a fee and receiving a physical card. Now, the government is transitioning this to a fully digital format.
The digital PAN will be stored in your mobile wallet, eliminating the need for physical cards and payment. This move is simplifying not just the issuance process but also how information related to PAN is managed and accessed.
This change is especially significant for young entrepreneurs. As they move from being individuals to running small businesses, their formal entry into the economic system becomes smoother. These kinds of digital public infrastructure initiatives are streamlining the path to formalisation and growth for businesses across the country.
What other roles can these kinds of digital public infrastructure play in addressing broader development challenges beyond financial inclusion?
Zahra Cader: In Sri Lanka, there’s been a significant rise in the number of people living below the poverty line, now reaching around 25%. This has created an urgent need to improve how welfare benefits are targeted and distributed.
The government has recently added over 2 million people to existing welfare schemes, and the Aswasuma programme is expected to cover another 2 million. While this expansion is essential, it also presents a challenge: ensuring that support reaches the right individuals.
Effective targeting and accurate disbursement mechanisms are critical to making sure the benefits go to those who truly need them, underlining an opening for a system like India’s JAM trinity. There is a clear regional disparity in development across Sri Lanka. For example, based on 2019 data, the Eastern Province had less than half the household income of the Western Province. This highlights the need to focus development efforts beyond Colombo. To reduce this gap, the country must attract exports and investments into the regions, which in turn can create local jobs. But that alone isn’t enough. As NSN mentioned, it’s equally important to equip people with the right skills to fill those jobs.
This approach must work on two levels: ensuring that welfare benefits reach those in need, and enabling people to move out of poverty through meaningful opportunities and self-sufficiency. Both aspects are essential for sustainable, inclusive development.
When you look at how far you’ve come and where you are right now, what do you think are the next pain points to overcome before you can make another leap?
NSN Murty: India has set an ambitious goal to become a $30 trillion economy by 2047, up from around $4 trillion today. To reach this, beyond continuing current efforts, we need to leap ahead in key areas.
One is agriculture, where we are now using space technology to assess expected yield per acre and guide farmers on fertilisers, pest control and even pricing and sales strategies based on predicted output.
The second focus is skilling. We aim to train millions, not thousands, in frontier technologies like robotics, quantum computing, AI and nanotech. Scale is critical for India to become a global tech hub.
Another major step is the One Nation One Subscription programme, where India subscribed to 17,000 global journals and made them freely accessible to all students. This will reduce R&D costs and boost innovation. It’s a bold move to give every student access to the knowledge needed to drive India’s transformation.
Viswanathan Ravichandran: AI has huge potential to accelerate India’s development goals. One powerful use case is localising information through Generative AI (GenAI). This includes translating text and speech into regional languages, giving a farmer in Punjab or Tamil Nadu the ability to access services, Lodge complaints, and more in their own language.
This is especially important for grievance redressal and accessing benefits. If someone is denied entitlements by a local officer, they should be able to raise that issue in their native tongue. That’s where these tools, like Bhashini, come in.
NSN Murty: Bhashini is a government-backed large language model that supports over 25 Indian languages. It can translate between text and speech in real time, and is free to use via smartphone. Deloitte is working with Bhashini to scale these solutions. This tool bridges the language gap between service providers, who often operate in English, and citizens who use regional dialects. Bhashini is part of a larger movement, with Indian startups also building multilingual AI tools. The government’s decision to invest and offer Bhashini openly is helping drive inclusive access to public services.
Has Bhashini led to noticeable improvements in how people access or receive public services?
NSN Murty: Bhashini is already demonstrating impact in real-world applications across multiple sectors in India, and there is documented evidence of its effectiveness.
In the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, which works with elected representatives at the village level, Bhashini is being used to enable communication between local leaders and central government systems. The app allows users to speak in their own languages and access government services more easily.
In agriculture, farmers are now able to communicate in their regional languages to get relevant information and support. Similarly, in the legal domain, the Ministry of Justice has begun using Bhashini to assist with case information and grievance redressal in local languages.
Right now, four central ministries have issued official Requests for Proposal (RFPs) to integrate Bhashini into their grievance management systems. These are live tenders with allocated budgets, demonstrating government commitment. Between 20-30 more RFPs are expected, both at central and state levels.
The translation layer is only the first step. The real value comes from enabling transactions. If a citizen can express a need in their language—say, an elderly person requesting a pension or a person with a disability applying for support—Bhashini can be integrated with financial and administrative systems to prioritise and route services accordingly.
By understanding context, demographics, and need through natural language, the system can enable more inclusive, human-centric service delivery. It begins with communication, yes, but it is also about empowering access to government and financial systems for those who were previously left out.
From your perspective, what’s driving innovation in India and Sri Lanka?
NSN Murty: Innovation in India is being propelled by a mix of factors, but the most significant driver is clear and consistent political leadership over the past decade. The government’s core philosophy is to build every technological initiative as a digital public good that is open and accessible to all, not limited to select groups. This approach has shaped India’s broader digital public infrastructure, with examples like DigiLocker, where credentials such as licences or certificates are stored digitally and potentially shared freely with other countries. This commitment to openness was also emphasised during India’s G20 presidency.
Once this foundation was laid, innovation expanded through a strong public-private partnership model. The government made the initial investments in core digital protocols, such as the UPI, but allowed the private sector to build on top of them. As a result, services like Google Pay, PhonePe, and toll collection systems emerged, making these innovations citizen-facing and widely adopted.
India has managed to develop, to a large degree, the model where the private sector can leverage state-supported infrastructure to drive both impact and commercial sustainability. The example of Aadhaar illustrates this: on its own, an ID is just infrastructure, but paired with innovations in financial services, it becomes transformational. This layered approach, public investment in core infrastructure followed by private innovation, has proven to be central to India’s innovation success.
Zahra Cader: I think the foundation of real innovation always begins with core digital public infrastructure (DPI) and digital public goods (DPG), and I think the Sri Lankan government understands that. Once that base is in place, innovation from both public and private sectors can grow on top of it.
In terms of inclusion, both the government and private sector have roles to play. While we’re still in the early stages of digitisation, it’s clearly the way forward. Private players are also starting to look seriously at how to bring the bottom of the pyramid into their value chains as suppliers, distributors, or consumers.
So, for me, it’s really about building that broader ecosystem for innovation. That’s already starting to happen, and it’s what I believe will drive meaningful progress.
How would you sum up everything we’ve discussed today?
Viswanathan Ravichandran: Starting from the core values of respect and human dignity, I believe we need to focus on providing the basic foundations that allow people to begin their journey. That’s where I see a shift happening, especially among young people in India, and likely in Sri Lanka too. We need to shift them towards becoming job creators rather than job seekers. That’s the mindset we need to support from the beginning.
I see the government putting strong emphasis on ensuring access to the right tools and opportunities to make this possible. Overall, I’m optimistic. I think the future holds real promise.
Zahra Cader: For me, inclusion means figuring out how to bring everyone into the growth agenda, with an emphasis on the elderly, the poor, women, and youth. It’s about making sure they’re not left behind and are empowered to become part of our broader progress. I think, policy-wise, the government is moving in the right direction, and we’re seeing decent progress. That is what I am looking for.
NSN Murty: Whether we’re speaking of India, Sri Lanka, or even globally, I believe the way forward is to build an ecosystem where the government and private sector work together. In the language of venture capital, the government should act like a seed or angel investor, laying the foundation for everyone else to build upon. This means not only the private sector, which is known for innovation, but I’m also referring to the untapped potential in students and the younger generations. If we give them access and clear challenges to solve, they’ll come up with creative, tech-driven solutions we haven’t even imagined yet. So, for me, creating and managing this ecosystem is key, with clearly defined and respected roles for both government and private players.