Starmer hails India’s Aadhaar as 'massive success', eyes model for UK’s Brit Card plan

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has praised India’s Aadhaar digital ID system as a “massive success” and said it could serve as a reference point for Britain’s planned digital identity programme, the “Brit Card.” Speaking after his recent visit to Mumbai, Starmer noted that while Aadhaar’s focus is on welfare delivery, the Brit Card would initially be used to curb illegal migrant working, a move already stirring privacy debates back home.

During his two-day trip, Starmer met Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani, who was instrumental in creating Aadhaar, to understand how India built and scaled the system to cover nearly 1.4 billion residents. Aadhaar, launched over 15 years ago, assigns each citizen a 12-digit biometric ID, streamlining access to welfare, banking, and essential public services.

While Aadhaar has faced criticism over data protection and cases of service denial, it is widely credited with cutting administrative costs and reducing corruption. Citing these efficiencies, Starmer said India’s experience offered valuable lessons for the UK as it develops its own national ID framework.

Responding to concerns that the Brit Card might mirror Aadhaar too closely, a UK government spokesperson told The Guardian that Britain’s version would not include biometric data and would prioritise “inclusivity and data protection.” The ID is expected to be mandatory only for employment, aimed primarily at deterring illegal working.

Starmer defends Brit Card amid public scepticism

Facing waning public support for the idea, Starmer defended the Brit Card’s everyday utility. “I don't know how many times the rest of you have had to look in the bottom drawer for three bills when you want to get your kids into school or apply for this or apply for that—it drives me to frustration,” The Guardian quoted him as saying.

He added, “I do think that we could gain a significant advantage. We're going to a country, India, where they've already done ID and made a massive success of it.”

However, polls in the UK show that enthusiasm for digital IDs has dropped since Starmer’s announcement, with privacy advocates warning of potential surveillance and data misuse.

Immigration link draws fresh scrutiny

Starmer also connected the Brit Card proposal to immigration enforcement, saying it would strengthen measures against illegal working as part of broader migration agreements with countries like France. The government has faced pressure from right-wing parties over undocumented workers using false identities, particularly in the gig economy.

No private technology partners have yet been confirmed for the project. Opposition leaders and some Labour MPs have raised questions over cost, privacy safeguards, and potential overreach.