UIDAI launches new face authentication software development kit to ease Aadhaar access for Indians overseas
UIDAI has launched a new face authentication SDK that will allow partner banks and businesses to run Aadhaar authentication locally, potentially easing geofencing-related limitations for Indians overseas. The move comes as Aadhaar authentication volumes rise to around 10 crore transactions a day, with UIDAI preparing for 25-30 crore daily transactions.
- Sep 9, 2026,
- Updated Sep 9, 2026 7:28 PM IST
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has launched a new face authentication software development kit (SDK) aimed at making Aadhaar authentication easier for partner institutions while addressing geofencing restrictions that have affected Indians travelling or living overseas.
UIDAI Chairman Neelkanth Mishra announced the new SDK at the Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2026 in Mumbai on September 9. The conference is being held from September 8 to 11 at the Jio World Centre.
Aadhaar authentication to run locally
Speaking during a session titled “Digital Identity and Beyond”, Mishra said the new SDK will allow partner banks and businesses to run Aadhaar authentication locally on their own servers instead of routing authentication requests through UIDAI’s central systems.
This approach is intended to address security concerns associated with removing geofencing restrictions while enabling authentication to function more flexibly.
“The problem with removing geofencing is, then you are vulnerable,” Mishra said, describing Aadhaar as “critical infrastructure” that faces hundreds of attacks every day.
He explained that under the new model, authentication would take place on a bank’s own server. The partner institution would therefore be responsible for securing its local authentication process, reducing exposure of UIDAI’s central infrastructure.
Aadhaar authentication volumes rise
The move comes as Aadhaar authentication activity continues to increase. According to Mishra, authentication volumes have risen from around 7 crore transactions a day a few years ago to roughly 10 crore transactions currently.
UIDAI is preparing its infrastructure to handle between 25 crore and 30 crore authentications a day as adoption grows.
More than 600 entities currently use the Aadhaar platform, while the Aadhaar app is nearing 6 crore downloads, Mishra said.
Institutional adoption is also expanding. Mishra cited the example of the Telangana police, which is increasingly requiring Aadhaar app-based verification for several verification processes.
“Telangana police is now insisting that a lot of the verification they do requires the Aadhaar app itself, and that gets people to download the Aadhaar app,” he said.
UIDAI wants to be invisible infrastructure
Mishra also outlined UIDAI’s approach to its role in India's digital ecosystem.
“Aadhaar is only a database,” he said, adding that UIDAI’s objective is to securely manage the identity data of 1.44 billion people and provide it in a safe and trusted manner.
“We would like to become the infrastructure that no one knows,” Mishra said.
Meanwhile, Jitendra Gupta, Founder and CEO of Jupiter, said Aadhaar has been “one of the biggest boons for the fintech industry”. He said the digital identity infrastructure has helped reduce friction in customer onboarding and supported digital-first customer experiences.
The new SDK marks another step towards expanding Aadhaar-based authentication while keeping security and protection of UIDAI’s central infrastructure at the forefront
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has launched a new face authentication software development kit (SDK) aimed at making Aadhaar authentication easier for partner institutions while addressing geofencing restrictions that have affected Indians travelling or living overseas.
UIDAI Chairman Neelkanth Mishra announced the new SDK at the Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2026 in Mumbai on September 9. The conference is being held from September 8 to 11 at the Jio World Centre.
Aadhaar authentication to run locally
Speaking during a session titled “Digital Identity and Beyond”, Mishra said the new SDK will allow partner banks and businesses to run Aadhaar authentication locally on their own servers instead of routing authentication requests through UIDAI’s central systems.
This approach is intended to address security concerns associated with removing geofencing restrictions while enabling authentication to function more flexibly.
“The problem with removing geofencing is, then you are vulnerable,” Mishra said, describing Aadhaar as “critical infrastructure” that faces hundreds of attacks every day.
He explained that under the new model, authentication would take place on a bank’s own server. The partner institution would therefore be responsible for securing its local authentication process, reducing exposure of UIDAI’s central infrastructure.
Aadhaar authentication volumes rise
The move comes as Aadhaar authentication activity continues to increase. According to Mishra, authentication volumes have risen from around 7 crore transactions a day a few years ago to roughly 10 crore transactions currently.
UIDAI is preparing its infrastructure to handle between 25 crore and 30 crore authentications a day as adoption grows.
More than 600 entities currently use the Aadhaar platform, while the Aadhaar app is nearing 6 crore downloads, Mishra said.
Institutional adoption is also expanding. Mishra cited the example of the Telangana police, which is increasingly requiring Aadhaar app-based verification for several verification processes.
“Telangana police is now insisting that a lot of the verification they do requires the Aadhaar app itself, and that gets people to download the Aadhaar app,” he said.
UIDAI wants to be invisible infrastructure
Mishra also outlined UIDAI’s approach to its role in India's digital ecosystem.
“Aadhaar is only a database,” he said, adding that UIDAI’s objective is to securely manage the identity data of 1.44 billion people and provide it in a safe and trusted manner.
“We would like to become the infrastructure that no one knows,” Mishra said.
Meanwhile, Jitendra Gupta, Founder and CEO of Jupiter, said Aadhaar has been “one of the biggest boons for the fintech industry”. He said the digital identity infrastructure has helped reduce friction in customer onboarding and supported digital-first customer experiences.
The new SDK marks another step towards expanding Aadhaar-based authentication while keeping security and protection of UIDAI’s central infrastructure at the forefront