A recent article presents baseless criticisms of Aadhaar, the world’s most trusted digital identity system.
Over the past decade, over a billion Indians have placed their trust in Aadhaar by using it for authentication over 100 billion times.
Disregarding this unprecedented vote of confidence implies that users do not understand their own interests.
The article lacks evidence or data to support its claims and did not attempt to verify the issues with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).
It inaccurately cites the number of Aadhaars issued and misunderstands the use of biometric technologies in India’s Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
The article ignores that biometric submission can be contactless through methods like face or iris authentication and the option of mobile OTP.
Furthermore, it raises concerns about security and privacy vulnerabilities in a centralized Aadhaar system.
However, Parliament has confirmed that there have been no breaches of the Aadhaar database, and the Aadhaar system complies with international security and privacy standards.
Aadhaar has received praise from international agencies like the IMF and World Bank, and several nations are interested in deploying similar digital ID systems.
Recently, the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI) recognized Aadhaar’s role in expanding financial inclusion in India.
Aadhaar serves as the foundational Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) in India and aligns with the G20’s framework for Systems of Digital Public Infrastructure, emphasizing its importance on the global stage.
