The impact of digital public infrastructure on financial inclusion and economic growth in rural India: evidence from the UPI revolution

Purpose This study aims to examine the impact of India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) on rural financial inclusion and economic growth (2019–2023), focusing on entrepreneurship, household financial behaviour and business formation. It identifies the mechanisms through which UPI adoption drives rural economic transformation. Design/methodology/approach Using a difference-in-differences approach, the study analyses UPI transaction data and household surveys from 200 villages across four Indian states to assess causal effects on financial and economic outcomes. Findings Villages with higher UPI adoption saw a 27% rise in business registrations, a 34% increase in savings accounts and a 42% growth in female-owned enterprises. In comparison, informal borrowing declined by 53% and digital credit access improved by 29%. These effects stemmed from lower transaction costs, better financial information access, network effects driving adoption and increased trust in digital finance. Research limitations/implications The findings are confined to four Indian states – Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat – and the extrapolation to other regions or emerging economies needs to be taken with caution, observing local economic and institutional conditions. Long-term consequences need to be investigated further. Regional differences, wealth generation and policy reforms applicable to other economies need to be considered in future research. Practical implications Strategic deployment of digital finance, literacy programmes and regulatory safeguards can maximise inclusion and economic impact. UPI adoption also empowers women entrepreneurs, formalises businesses and reduces informal lending dependence, but it requires mitigation of digital exclusion and cybersecurity risks. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study provides the first causal evidence of UPI’s role in rural economic transformation, introducing a theoretical framework linking digital finance to market integration and financial inclusion.