Policy Update
Agamya Goyal
source: https://images.app.goo.gl/oNeuc3zi85peD2s6A
Background
As part of India’s larger Digital India plan, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)’s National e-Governance Division (NeGD) created the government-backed portal API Setu. It was introduced in 2020 and serves as a consolidated, secure gateway for the exchange of information and services between various government departments and agencies using Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). The increased demand for smooth, real-time, and paperless service delivery across industries like education, healthcare, transportation, and finance led to the development of API Setu. It seeks to guarantee quicker, authenticated access to government services, cut down on duplication, and remove silos. Through fostering interoperability and enhancing user experience, the platform helps citizens, companies, developers, and government agencies.
source: https://apisetu.gov.in/
Functioning
Through the use of safe, standardized APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), the API Setu platform serves as a single hub that enables many government ministries, departments, and organizations to share verified data in real-time. Numerous services, including identity verification (Aadhaar, PAN), education credentials (via DigiLocker), transportation data (car registration), and more, are made simpler and more automated via these APIs.
An API is published on API Setu by a government agency, such as the Ministry of Road Transportation.Access to that API is requested by another organization or service (such as a state government portal or insurance company).Permissions, use cases, and occasionally citizen approval are taken into consideration when granting access.Physical papers and frequent uploads are no longer necessary because the data is sent in real-time from the source system to the requester through API Setu.
The National Data Highway (NDH) framework, which includes this flow, attempts to guarantee data standardization, interoperability, and adherence to privacy laws. All data sharing among platforms used by the federal and state governments is governed and designed by NDH.
Performance
1. Summary of Key Metrics (Last 3 Years)
From MeitY Annual Reports & NeGD Dashboard
- APIs published: increased from 2,118 (2021) to 3,530 (2022) and 5,200 (2023)
- Publishers onboarded: increased from 1,047 to 1,500+
- Consumer applications: 571
- Transactions via API Setu: around 6 crore/month (72 crore/year in 2022) to around 210 crore total 2023-24
2. Budget & Policy Support
MeitY Budget Estimates
- 2021–22: ₹9,900 Cr
- 2022–23: ₹14,421 Cr (RE)
- 2023–24 BE: ₹21,385 Cr (approx. 48% increase YoY) Focus on AI, cybersecurity, semiconductor R&D; new entities funded include IndiaAI Mission & Data Protection Board.
3. Vertical and State-Level Analysis
State/UT Coverage (April–Dec 2023)
- Total e‑services have increased from 11,614 to 16,487.
- 76% of mandatory services are made available across.
- Leading states: J&K (1,117), Kerala, Assam, Odisha (100% unified portal coverage)
4. Domain Reach via Publications
- Key use cases: PAN, DL, vehicle reg., COVID‑19, education (Delhi Univ, Karnataka Police)
5. Performance Highlights
- Rapid API Scale-up: APIs have grown 145% over three years and publishers increased 50%.
- Surging Usage: Transactions tripled from 72 Cr in 2022 to over 210 Cr by mid-2024.
- State Adoption Rising: e‑Gov services increased by 42% (11.6k to 16.5k), with many states at 100%.
- Strong Budget Backing: MeitY’s capital allocation surged nearly 50%, signifying institutional priority.
Impact
Core Outcomes & Citizen Impact: Applying real-time credential checks in education and employment facilitated the delivery of verified, expedited services across departments. facilitated more than 65,000 Cr in digital transactions using DigiLocker and other platforms. contributed significantly to the use of CoWIN APIs for vaccine administration.
Developed on MeitY’s Open API Policy and uniform design, the ecosystem strengthened by welcoming 5,200+ live APIs and 1,500+ data publishers and facilitating the use of real-time data in public dashboards and surveys.
Emerging Issues & Suggested Solution
- Uneven adoption
Support lagging states and departments with training and tech help. - Low public awareness
Run awareness campaigns in local languages. - Consent not clear
Standardize consent flows and make them easy to understand. - No public API tracking
Create a live dashboard showing API usage and uptime. - Privacy concerns
Ensure compliance with the DPDP Act and conduct regular audits. - Local bodies left out
Provide simple toolkits and onboarding support for local offices.
Way Forward
India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) vision is based on the National Data Highway (NDH) and API Setu projects. They are revolutionizing governance by facilitating scalable, safe, and easy data interchange, which eliminates red tape, speeds up service response times, and makes sure data isn’t stored in silo
Goals versus Results:
The initial goal of the strategy was to establish a digital government that prioritized citizens and was interoperable. Although API Setu has achieved its infrastructure goal (5,200+ APIs; 200+ Cr transactions), more has to be done to improve usage variety and impact parity among states.
Contribution to “New India”:
These platforms are making it possible for essential government services, such as academic verifications, DigiLocker, e-KYC, and vaccination certificates, to be conducted cashlessly, without paper records, and physical presence. This improves efficiency, openness, and trust while lowering friction.
Complementing India’s DPI Framework:
API Setu is a great example of an interoperable, modular layer in India’s digital governance stack. Its interaction with DigiLocker, Aadhaar, DEPA, and the upcoming India Stack expansions ensures long-term viability.
References
- API Setu Official Portal
https://apisetu.gov.in
- National e-Governance Division (NeGD)
https://negd.gov.in
- Open API Policy, MeitY (2015)
https://www.meity.gov.in/writereaddata/files/Open_API_Policy.pdf - PIB Press Releases Related to API Setu & Digital India
https://pib.gov.in → Search “API Setu”, “Digital India”, “NeGD” - eTaal 3.0 Dashboard (for transaction figures)
https://etaal.gov.in - MeitY Annual Reports
https://www.meity.gov.in/content/annual-reports
- Digital India Programme Portal
https://digitalindia.gov.in - Economic Survey of India (2021–2024)
https://www.indiabudget.gov.in
- Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture (DEPA) – NITI Aayog
https://niti.gov.in
- Right to Information (RTI) Watch Reports on Aarogya Setu & Consent Issues
https://rti.gov.in - Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) Notifications
https://meity.gov.in
About the Contributor
Agamya Goyal is a Research Intern at IMPRI and is currently pursuing an M.A. in Economics from Isabella Thoburn College, Lucknow.
Acknowledgement: The author extends her sincere gratitude to the IMPRI team and Ms. Aasthaba Jadeja for her invaluable guidance throughout the process.
Disclaimer: All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organization.
Read more at IMPRI:
SUBORNO JAYANTI SCHOLARSHIPS 2021: India’s Soft Power Diplomacy
International Training Centre for Operational Oceanography (ITCO-ocean)
