Queen Máxima Calls India's DPI a Model for Financial Inclusion

India's success in building one of the world's largest Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) ecosystems took centre stage on Thursday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Queen Máxima of the Netherlands , exploring how India's technology-driven financial model can shape the future of global financial health . The discussions underscored India's growing emergence as a global exporter of digital governance, with both leaders highlighting the transformative impact of inclusive digital finance.

Queen Máxima, who is visiting India as the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Advocate for Financial Health (UNSGSA) , praised India's digital ecosystem for making financial services more accessible, affordable and inclusive . Following the meeting, Modi said India's DPI revolution has enhanced the Ease of Living by empowering millions and reaffirmed the country's commitment to sharing its digital governance experience with partner nations.

The talks reflected a broader shift from financial inclusion to financial health . While India's digital initiatives initially focused on expanding banking access, the next phase aims to strengthen people's long-term financial resilience through better savings, affordable credit, insurance, pensions and responsible debt management.

At the heart of this transformation is India's integrated digital architecture comprising Aadhaar , Unified Payments Interface (UPI) , Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana , DigiLocker , the Account Aggregator framework , and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) . Together, these interoperable platforms have created a seamless ecosystem connecting citizens, banks, businesses and government services.

The scale of the transformation is significant. India has issued over 144 crore Aadhaar numbers , while 57.71 crore Jan Dhan accounts and nearly 40 crore RuPay debit cards have expanded formal banking access. Supported by smartphone penetration exceeding 85.5% of households and nationwide 5G connectivity , the country's digital economy continues to accelerate. In January 2026 , UPI processed 21.7 billion transactions worth more than ₹28.33 lakh crore , with the IMF recognising it as the world's largest retail fast payment system.

During her visit, Queen Máxima interacted with Jan Dhan beneficiaries , healthcare workers and fintech innovators, including users of the payroll-based platform SalarySe , while also reviewing India's innovative Account Aggregator system that enables secure, consent-based sharing of financial data.

Unlike the Netherlands' bank-led digital ecosystem, India's government-backed Digital Public Infrastructure functions as a shared public utility, allowing both public and private players to innovate on common digital rails. Experts believe the discussions could pave the way for deeper India-Netherlands collaboration in AI-driven financial health , digital healthcare financing , consumer protection and responsible data sharing, further strengthening India's position as a global model for inclusive digital development.