The head of Dagestan, Fedor Shchukin, has stated that the republic should serve as a connecting link for digital cooperation among the Caspian littoral states.

"Dagestan will become a digital bridge between the states of the Caspian basin," he declared at the 4th International Caspian Digital Forum, held on November 12–13 in Kaspiysk and Makhachkala.

Approximately two thousand participants from Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, India, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan registered for the forum. One tangible outcome was an agreement between the government of Dagestan and the company SKB Kontur to develop electronic document management systems and transition transport sector operators to electronic shipping documents. This initiative is intended to streamline the processing of freight shipments and simplify interactions between businesses and government agencies. The Iranian delegation proposed the establishment of joint working groups comprising the Caspian nations. Additionally, the forum featured a project for a "digital twin" of the Caspian Sea, designed to model changes in its condition and forecast water levels through the year 2100.

At the same time, Dagestan itself is still addressing fundamental digitalization challenges. Shchukin reported that broadband internet is now available to nearly 94% of households in the republic, with fiber-optic lines reaching over 1,200 villages and 132 base stations installed in smaller settlements. It should be noted that some of the achievements highlighted date back several years; for instance, 3,144 socially significant facilities were connected to high-speed internet between 2019 and 2021. In the "Digital Dagestan" state program, approved in September 2025, the authorities acknowledge that high-speed internet is not yet available throughout the entire republic. Other identified challenges include a lack of funding for the digitalization of government agencies, the absence of effective data exchange between state information systems, and a deficiency in digital skills among government officials.

According to the same program, 92% of households had broadband access in 2024, exceeding the target of 88.1%. Shchukin now reports a figure of nearly 94%; however, the established coverage targets are 97% by 2030 and 99% by 2036.