From UPI To ONDC: Kunal Shah's Vision For India's Global Digital Influence

As Kunal Shah returns to the spotlight as the CEO of WhatsApp, we are revisiting this archive excerpt from an interview originally recorded in September 2023. Before taking on the leadership role at WhatsApp, Shah was best known as the founder of CRED and one of India's most influential fintech entrepreneurs.

In this conversation, Shah explains why he believed India's digital public infrastructure could become one of the country's most significant exports. From UPI and the Account Aggregator framework to ONDC, GSTN and other India Stack innovations, he argues that countries around the world are closely studying India's approach to digital transformation.

Speaking in the context of the G20 Summit, Shah suggests that nations across Africa and beyond could benefit from adopting similar systems to improve payments, lending, data-sharing and digital commerce. He also reveals how investors, founders and policymakers from around the world were already examining India's digital stacks to understand their real-world impact.

Looking back, this September 2023 conversation offers a fascinating glimpse into Shah's vision of India as a global exporter of digital infrastructure and innovation.

Interview originally recorded in September 2023.