Jakarta, July 3 -- When Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Jakarta in July, most Indians will see a familiar diplomatic milestone - another state visit, another set of agreements, another joint statement. Yet what is taking shape quietly in Indonesia's archipelago may represent something far more consequential for India's long-term strategic interests: the first large-scale international deployment of India's Digital Public Infrastructure model in a major emerging economy.

Indonesia deserves far more attention in India than it currently receives. It is the world's fourth most populous nation, home to 280 million people, the largest economy in Southeast Asia, and the third-largest democracy on Earth. Its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ...