India to Train Madagascar’s Civil Servants in Good Governance, Digital Reforms

In a major step toward deepening South–South cooperation in governance reforms, India has agreed to extend its expertise in technology-driven governance and administrative modernization to Madagascar. The decision emerged from a high-level meeting between Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology; Earth Sciences, and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, and Mrs. Hanitra Fitiavana Razakaboana, Madagascar’s Minister of Labour, Employment & Public Service. The meeting, held in New Delhi, focused on expanding the capacity-building programme for Madagascar’s civil servants under India’s National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG).

Training in India’s Governance Innovations

Discussions highlighted the potential of India’s governance reforms and digital innovations to modernize Madagascar’s public administration. Dr. Singh showcased India’s success in integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI), mobile technology, and digital platforms into governance, resulting in greater transparency, efficiency, and citizen trust.

Key reforms cited included:

• CPGRAMS (Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System) – India’s AI-powered platform ensuring time-bound grievance redressal.

• Faceless, seamless, and paperless governance – With over 85% of services now digital, minimizing delays and corruption.

• Pension reforms – Digital solutions like Jeevan Pramaan (biometric life certificates) and facial recognition-based life certificate campaigns simplifying pension disbursal.

• JAM Trinity (Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, Mobile connectivity) – Driving direct benefit transfers and making India a global leader in UPI-enabled digital payments.

• Property digitization – Using drones for mapping and record-keeping.

Dr. Singh emphasized that these reforms reflect India’s philosophy of bringing government closer to citizens while leveraging technology to eliminate bottlenecks.

Madagascar’s Interest in Expanding Cooperation

Minister Razakaboana welcomed India’s offer and stressed that exposing Madagascar’s civil servants to Indian best practices would significantly strengthen her country’s administrative systems. Madagascar already participates in a three-year leadership training programme at NCGG, where batches of officers are trained in areas such as agriculture, urban development, labour reforms, and food security. She indicated Madagascar’s interest in expanding and extending this collaboration, given the positive outcomes already seen.

Showcasing India’s Reform Journey

Dr. Singh used the occasion to highlight India’s path-breaking governance initiatives under the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG):

• RTI 2.0 and mobile apps – Providing citizens with instant access to government information.

• Mission Karmayogi – A capacity-building initiative for civil servants to ensure continuous learning and upskilling.

• Recruitment reforms – Abolition of interviews for Group C and D posts and multilingual recruitment exams in 13 regional languages, with a plan to expand to all 22 scheduled languages.

• Swachh Bharat Mission – Generating ₹2,300 crore through disposal of scrap, demonstrating how reform can also yield financial savings.

• Human Desk Setup (2023) – A unique system for post-redressal citizen feedback, ensuring accountability.

On financial inclusion, Dr. Singh highlighted that India accounts for nearly half of global digital transactions, with 16.8 billion UPI transactions in October 2024 alone.

Science, Technology, and Space Achievements

The discussions also touched upon India’s scientific milestones, which offer lessons in innovation-led governance:

• National Quantum Mission – Driving advances in quantum computing and communication.

• ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce) – Democratizing digital commerce for MSMEs.

• Space achievements – India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission becoming the first to land on the Moon’s South Pole, and the ongoing Aditya-L1 mission to study the Sun.

Simplification measures such as a single pension form, unified portals for fellowships and higher education, and the repeal of 1,600 obsolete laws were also highlighted as examples of governance efficiency.

Strengthening Ties Through Capacity-Building

The meeting was attended by senior officials including Shri V. Srinivas, Secretary, DARPG, alongside members of the Madagascar delegation led by Minister Razakaboana. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to long-term cooperation in administrative capacity-building.

For Madagascar, this partnership provides access to tested models of e-governance, financial inclusion, and service delivery. For India, it reflects its growing role as a global knowledge partner, sharing reform experiences with developing nations and strengthening its leadership in South–South collaboration.

Looking Ahead

The engagement with Madagascar highlights the global relevance of India’s governance reforms, especially in using technology to bridge gaps between government and citizens. By training Madagascar’s civil servants, India is not only exporting technical expertise but also building a shared future of responsive and transparent governance.

As Dr. Singh concluded, India’s governance model is rooted in trust, transparency, and technology, a template that can inspire nations across the Global South.