UIDAI and Starlink Collaborate for Aadhaar-based Customer Verification to Boost Digital Infrastructure.
National
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), working under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), has partnered with Starlink Satellite Communication Private Limited, the satellite internet provider of SpaceX, to enable Aadhaar-based customer verification.
- This collaboration is expected to enhance digital authentication infrastructure, making the process faster, secure, and more reliable.
- The partnership designates Starlink as a Sub-Authentication User Agency (SUA) and Sub-electronic Know Your Customer (e-KYC) User Agency, allowing the company to carry out Aadhaar-based authentication for customer onboarding.
- The initiative was formalized in the presence of Bhuvnesh Kumar, CEO of UIDAI, Manish Bhardwaj, Deputy Director General (Dy-DG) of UIDAI, and Parnil Urdhwareshe, Director of Starlink India.
Main Point :- (i) The strategic collaboration aims to support Starlink in complying with India’s regulatory framework while expanding its satellite internet services across households, institutions, and businesses in rural and urban regions. This ensures that Aadhaar authentication becomes a critical enabler for secure digital identity verification.
(ii) By enabling Aadhaar-based authentication, Starlink can provide a seamless and secure verification system while rolling out high-speed internet connectivity. This step reflects the scalability and reliability of India’s digital infrastructure, aligning with the government’s Digital India vision.
(iii) UIDAI has clarified that Aadhaar-based authentication for customer onboarding will remain voluntary, in line with existing norms. Users will have the freedom to opt in or out, ensuring compliance with India’s data privacy and security standards while strengthening Starlink’s presence in the Indian market.
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