Nepal-India Digital Corridor: A Framework For Shared Digital Supremacy in South Asia
28th November 2025, Kathmandu
The Federation of Computer Association Nepal (CAN Federation) has unveiled a transformative conceptual framework for the Nepal–India Digital Corridor, an initiative poised to redefine regional digital cooperation and establish Nepal and India as leading digital hubs in South Asia.
The Visionary Behind the Framework
This landmark framework was meticulously developed under the leadership of Mr. Chiranjibi Adhikari, Senior Vice President of CAN Federation and a distinguished ICT Policy Expert.
Leveraging his decades-long contribution to Nepal’s digital ecosystem including pivotal roles in policy drafting, digital governance, and industry development Mr. Adhikari has conceptualized a corridor that is not merely technological, but a shared economic vision.
Aligning Ambitions: Nepal’s IT Decade Meets India’s DPI
The Nepal–India Digital Corridor is strategically designed to align Nepal’s IT Decade (2024–2034) with India’s global leadership in Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).
The core vision is to forge a resilient, integrated, and innovation-driven regional digital ecosystem that champions shared growth and prosperity for millions.
Key Pillars of the Digital Corridor Framework
The framework is built on seven crucial components aimed at creating a seamless, cross-border digital economy:
Cross-Border Fintech Expansion: Capitalizing on the successful UPI–Nepal interoperability to facilitate instant, secure, and low-cost financial transactions across borders, significantly benefiting tourism and trade.
Startup & Innovation Cooperation (IN-SPAN Expansion): Boosting regional innovation through joint incubation programs, enhanced access to venture capital (VC) funding, and collaborative product development between Nepali and Indian startups.
Talent Mobility & Certification Recognition: Implementing mutual recognition of professional training, certifications, and ICT qualifications to enable smooth workforce mobility and bridge the regional skills gap.
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Cybersecurity Collaboration: Strengthening digital borders through real-time threat intelligence exchange between npCert and CERT-In, coupled with joint cybersecurity drills to enhance regional defense capabilities.
AI & Research Partnerships: Initiating collaborative R&D on emerging technologies, including the joint development of Nepali language AI models by leading institutions like IITs, NITs, IOE, and KU.
Digital Infrastructure Development: Prioritizing investment in essential infrastructure in Nepal, including Tier-3 data centers, fiber optic redundancy, and cloud-ready infrastructure, ensuring robust connectivity and data security.
Policy Harmonization: Working to align critical regulations on data protection, digital identity, and e-commerce to substantially ease cross-border digital trade and business operations.
A Strategic Leap for Nepal’s Digital Economy
The CAN Federation emphasizes that this corridor is a direct catalyst for achieving Nepal’s ambitious national goals:
Generating 1.5 million IT jobs.
Achieving USD 3 billion in IT service exports.
As Mr. Adhikari states, the initiative seeks to ensure “Nepal positions itself as a global IT outsourcing and innovation hub.”
Established in 1992, CAN Federation, as the largest Nepalese ICT umbrella organization, continues its legacy of guiding national digital transformation, having been instrumental in drafting the country’s first IT policy and initiating National ICT Day.
For more: Nepal-India Digital Corridor
