Why can’t India’s government build a decent website?
Asia | Ashoka
Why can’t India’s government build a decent website?
Clunky online experiences reveal the failures of Indian officialdom
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Illustration: Lehel Kovacs
Jun 28th 2026|4 min read
Before you read beyond this paragraph, grab a glass of water and 1,000mg of paracetamol. Walk over to your laptop—the supercomputer in your hand is not up to the task—and make yourself comfortable. Now navigate to indianvisaonline.gov.in and see if you can figure out how to apply for a visa.
If you succeeded, welcome back, and apologies. Several questions are probably fighting for space in your addled brain. Let’s take them in turn. The answer to the first is no, the government of India does not hate foreign visitors. Its online services for Indian citizens—railway ticketing, voter registration, income-tax filings—are just as hostile. Those are among the better ones.
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