Digitalisation has become a central pillar of governance, service delivery, economic inclusion and social transformation in contemporary India. This paper explores the intersection of digitalisation and indigenous rights in India, focussing on how Digital transformation interacts with tribal communities’ access to technology, governance and rights protection. While national initiatives such as Digital India and the expansion of digital public infrastructure (DPI) promise greater access to services, infrastructure, and markets, Indigenisation communities (Aadivasi) particularly those residing in remote regions like Odisha, face structural challenges, including digital exclusion, linguistic barriers, socio-economic stratification and threats to community rights. The Niyamgir movement in odisha illustrates these broader challenges. Although this case is primarily a land and cultural rights struggle, it highlights how marginalised communities can leverage participatory rights and how digital exclusion can compound broader injustice. This paper argues that for digitalisation to support indigenous rights, policies must prioritise inclusive infrastructure, Indigenous language content, digital literacy and community-based data governance framework.
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