India needs DOGE — but it won’t work

Many people believe that India also needs its own version of Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), while others vehemently disagree. But neither side needs to worry too much. Because it wouldn’t work in India. I’ll tell you why.

But first the pros. Who would disagree that India needs to enhance bureaucratic bottlenecks and increase administrative efficiency, not to mention transparency? Even the prime minister, Narendra Modi himself, has often spoken of the need to make his own government more responsible and responsive by reducing the almost total control that India’s steel frame has over his administration. After all, Modi came to power way back in 2014 on the promise of maximum governance and minimum government.

To this end, he has brought in lateral entry, bringing in competent, often young and energetic experts and technocrats from outside the civil services. This has not only caused some heartburn among the latter’s rank and file but improved the functioning of several government departments and agencies. Yet, few would admit that the bloat in India’s gargantuan government has diminished. In fact, if anything the size and costs of governmentality have actually increased over the last 11 years causing some, even among the PM’s admirers to call him as statist and centrist as his Congress “socialist” predecessors.

No wonder, the case for DOGE in India is strong. India’s bureaucracy is a notorious bottleneck. The World Bank’s 2024 Ease of Doing Business index ranks India 63rd globally, a leap from a decade ago but still lagging in areas like contract enforcement and regulatory compliance. Obtaining permits or resolving disputes can take months, discouraging investment and innovation.

A DOGE-inspired framework—centralising efficiency audits, digitising processes, and enforcing accountability—could revolutionise governance. For instance, automating land records or tax filings could reduce human intervention, a key driver of corruption. Transparency International’s 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index placed India at 93rd out of 180 countries, highlighting the urgent need for systemic reform.

DOGE in India could also address service delivery gaps, particularly for India’s underserved. Over 400 million Indians live below the poverty line, and many struggle to access welfare schemes due to bureaucratic hurdles. A streamlined department could integrate databases like Aadhaar with real-time tracking, ensuring subsidies reach the right hands. India’s digital infrastructure, exemplified by the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) handling 50 billion transactions annually, proves the country’s capacity for tech-driven solutions.

Not only to cut red tape, curb corruption, and deliver services more effectively, but also to reduce the drain to the exchequer of hundreds of loss-making public-sector enterprises both at the central and state levels. Government overstaffing, especially at the lower and middle levels is legion. Any Ministry or government department has hordes of unnecessary or useless staff while the people at the top are overworked to ill-health.

India’s regulatory apparatus is almost Kafkaesque, as many studies and reports have shown. Hundreds of compliances to start a business, even more to shut it down. Hiring, firing, permissions, even getting the simplest of procedures done, despite digitisation, proves to be a nightmare. Let alone ease of doing business, nearly anyone who ventures to start an enterprise may be wittingly or unwittingly guilty of some violation which might potentially land them in prison.

The need for transformation is undeniable and widely acknowledged, across classes and political divides. Yet, despite its promise, implementing anything DOGE-like in India would likely falter due to infrastructural limitations, cultural resistance, political complexities, and the sheer scale of the challenge.

But let us also not forget that DOGE is not exactly popular in the United States either. Many jobs, livelihoods, and families have been or feel threatened. Instead of a fine scalpel, some have likened DOGE to a butcher’s knife. That too with serrated edges. There has been a tremendous pushback, with multiple legal challenges by fired federal employees and their supporters in the opposition.

In India, let alone succeeding, DOGE would not even take off. There would be too much political resistance. The ruling party, with its diminished numbers in the 2024 general elections, would scarcely risk it. Besides, implementation barriers, given the deeply entrenched vested interests, from local leaders to national politicians, will prevent it from succeeding. A government job is still very sought after, with literally millions, even engineers and PhDs, applying for lower constabulary, railway, or even humble positions such as that of a peon, as long as they are “permanent.”

Moreover, DOGE’s vision of digitised, real-time governance would stumble in areas where basic electricity isn’t guaranteed. Even urban offices often rely on outdated systems, with government websites crashing or leading to “404 not found” errors under heavy traffic. Scaling DOGE nationwide demands an infrastructural overhaul that could take decades.

Digital literacy is another stumbling block. Streamlining government processes often involves citizen-facing portals or apps, but only 38% of rural households have members proficient in internet use, per a 2023 National Statistical Office survey. While India’s overall literacy rate is 77%, navigating complex digital systems requires skills beyond basic reading. Unlike UPI, which thrives on simplicity, DOGE’s reforms, such as integrated dashboards or automated grievance systems, could overwhelm users unfamiliar with tech. Without massive education campaigns, DOGE risks alienating the very citizens it aims to serve, creating a digital divide rather than closing it. Finally, India’s scale defies easy fixes. With 1.4 billion people, 22 official languages, and vast socioeconomic disparities, no reform can be one-size-fits-all.

What is the way out? We used to call it “import substitution.” What that would mean in the present context is that India would need its own version of DOGE, much more humane, citizen-friendly, digitally light without being workforce-cutting.

Any takers?