India's Policy Response to Digital Ageing

Purpose: Senior citizens in India encounter multiple obstacles that prevent them from adopting digital technologies. Lack of use of digital tools combined with affordability and limited cybersecurity knowledge prevents older individuals from using online banking and telemedicine as well as accessing government services. The use of advanced digital interfaces remains problematic for older citizens due to their combination of age-related disabilities such as bad vision and mental impairments. The problem stems from cultural factors that include traditional attitudes and the tendency of older people to depend on their younger relatives when handling digital interactions. The problems demand a systematic policy framework that should provide protection and accessibility training for older citizens. Method: The study adopts a desk-based methodology, categorized into primary and secondary data. Primary data consist of an analysis of various initiatives by the Government of India, which are assisting the older adults in the digitized world, furthermore, protecting the senior citizens from cases of cyber fraud and cybersecurity. For example, the Digital India Initiative established its mission (2015) to establish a nationwide digital empowerment strategy through expanded Internet network development alongside digital education practices and electronic governance solutions. The secondary data would include an analysis of various research articles based on older adults and assistive technologies. Key Findings: There is a need for legal mandates for ensuring a digital infrastructure that is user-friendly for senior citizens as well as enhances inclusion. Moreover, cybersecurity among the elderly is an important initiative to safeguard our senior citizens against deception and misinformation. The digital development of India maintains both promising opportunities and difficult problems at the same time. Significant policy adjustments and infrastructure improvements are needed to achieve comprehensive inclusion because digitalization might potentially upgrade older citizens’ living standards. A complete digital environment accessible to senior citizens needs the active collaboration of the government sector alongside private organizations and community organizations. Implication: The chapter analyses the magnitude of digital ageing in India while examining existing government policies and legal mechanisms for these aspects alongside proposed solutions for digital inclusivity.