𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐔𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐃𝐈𝐆𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐋 𝐆𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐀

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬? Cloud computing is emerging as a 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 and efficient public service delivery in India.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:

• 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 refers to the delivery of computing services such as servers, storage, databases, networking and software over the Internet.
• It allows users to access computing resources 𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝 without purchasing and maintaining physical infrastructure.

𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:

• 𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Reduces expenditure on expensive hardware and maintenance.
• 𝐅𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲: Enables quick development and deployment of digital services.
• 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: Allows computing resources to expand or reduce according to demand.
• 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐮𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲: Helps restore information in case of system failure.
• 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Improves information sharing among government departments.
• 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐒𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐭𝐲: Strengthens national control over critical digital resources and sensitive data.

𝐌𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬:

𝐌𝐞𝐠𝐡𝐑𝐚𝐣 𝟐.𝟎 (𝐆𝐈 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝):

• Provides cloud infrastructure for government applications through a distributed cloud architecture.
• Offers three service models: 𝐈𝐚𝐚𝐒, 𝐏𝐚𝐚𝐒 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐚𝐒.
• Aims to improve flexibility, efficiency and scalability of government IT services.

𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 (𝐍𝐈𝐂):

• Operates 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬 and 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬.
• Supports government digital infrastructure and e-governance applications.

𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐀𝐈 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧:

• Aims to democratize access to 𝐀𝐈 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬.
• Supports Indian start-ups, researchers and academic institutions in developing AI solutions.

𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 (𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔):

• Issued by the 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 (𝐌𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐘).
• Guides government ministries in selecting cloud infrastructure based on 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲.

𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐞-𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐍𝐞𝐆𝐃):

• Provides technical and advisory support for e-governance projects.
• Promotes cloud-based services across government departments.

𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐂-𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔:

• Organized by the 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 (𝐂𝐒𝐈𝐑).
• Promotes scientific and technological advancements, including emerging digital technologies.

𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬:

• India’s cloud data capacity is projected to grow 𝟒–𝟓 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟑𝟎.
• Increasing adoption of cloud infrastructure across government, education, healthcare, finance and industry is driving growth.
• Domestic cloud infrastructure can strengthen India’s 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 and technological capabilities.

𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐬:

• 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: Delivery of computing services such as storage, servers and software over the Internet.
• 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐒𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐭𝐲: The principle that data is governed by the laws and regulations of the country where it is collected or stored.
• 𝐈𝐚𝐚𝐒 (𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞): Provides virtual servers, storage and networking resources on rent.
• 𝐏𝐚𝐚𝐒 (𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞): Provides a platform to develop and run applications without managing the underlying infrastructure.
• 𝐒𝐚𝐚𝐒 (𝐒𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞): Provides ready-to-use software applications over the Internet.

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬:

• 𝐂𝐲𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲: Risks of hacking, data breaches and cyberattacks.
• 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐜𝐲: Protection of sensitive personal and government information.
• 𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐤-𝐢𝐧: Excessive dependence on a single cloud service provider.
• 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞: Unequal access to reliable Internet and digital infrastructure.
• 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: Need for reliable electricity, connectivity and skilled professionals.

𝐖𝐚𝐲 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝:

• Develop a strong 𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 to strengthen data sovereignty.
• Adopt robust cybersecurity and data protection standards.
• Promote interoperability and reduce dependence on individual service providers.
• Invest in indigenous data centres, skilled manpower and advanced computing infrastructure.

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧: Cloud computing can become a key pillar of India’s digital transformation by ensuring 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲.