India’s dairy goes digital: 25% of global milk, 17.3 lakh farmers on e-platforms, 35.68 crore animals tagged

New Delhi, Jan 9: India’s dairy sector is undergoing a major digital transformation aimed at improving productivity, transparency and farmer welfare, the government said on Friday, highlighting large-scale adoption of technology across the dairy value chain.

India is the world’s largest milk producer, accounting for about 25 per cent of global milk output. The digital shift, led by the National Dairy Development Board, is focused on connecting farmers, cooperatives and other stakeholders through integrated digital platforms.

“These systems are not just enhancing operational productivity but also ensuring that millions of small and marginal dairy farmers are directly linked to a modern, technology-driven ecosystem,” an official statement said.

Among the key initiatives is the Automatic Milk Collection System, which has benefited over 17.3 lakh milk producers across 54 milk unions by enabling transparent payments and improving operational efficiency. The Internet-based Dairy Information System is currently being used by around 198 milk unions and 15 federations to support data-driven decision-making and performance benchmarking.

Milk route optimisation through GIS technology has also helped dairy cooperatives in several states reduce transportation costs and improve delivery efficiency. According to the statement, these initiatives aim to modernise operations, reduce inefficiencies and enhance traceability across the dairy sector.

A major pillar of the digital push is the National Digital Livestock Mission, implemented by NDDB in collaboration with the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying. The mission seeks to create a unified digital livestock ecosystem under the platform “Bharat Pashudhan.”