SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions | SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Institutions: UIDAI | Ministry of Electronics & IT
The UIDAI held a high-level stakeholder webinar on 19 November 2025, attended by over 250 entities, to advance the rollout of the upcoming Aadhaar App which will enable offline verification of identity using Aadhaar credentials.
Key features highlighted:
Users will have the option to share complete or selective Aadhaar information, enhancing control over personal data.
The App will allow proof of presence via facial biometrics in offline mode, reducing reliance on paper or physical Aadhaar copies—thereby lowering risk of misuse.
Use-cases span hotel check-ins, event access, residential society entry and other everyday identity scenarios where offline verification is useful.
Feature highlights for Aadhaar-holders include: ability to keep Aadhaar details of up to five family members in the App, one-click biometric lock/unlock, and hassle-free mobile-number and address updates.
The stakeholder meet aimed to build an ecosystem of Offline Verification Seeking Entities (OVSEs) — entities that will adopt the new verification mode and integrate with the Aadhaar App framework. Firms and institutions were encouraged to engage with UIDAI on technical integration pathways and process for onboarding.
This initiative strengthens India’s digital-identity infrastructure by introducing a secure, privacy-preserving offline verification channel, enhancing data protection and access convenience. As identity is central to digital services, finance, banking, welfare delivery and e-governance, the move supports the broader Digital India agenda, improves institutional capacity for identity verification and bolsters citizen trust in public digital infrastructure. It also reflects the growing integration of offline and online modes, critical for bridging connectivity gaps across India’s rural and semi-urban areas.
What is Offline Verification in the Aadhaar App Context? → It refers to the ability of an Aadhaar-holder to present and verify their identity — fully or partially — without requiring a live network connection, using stored credentials in the Aadhaar App, thereby enhancing convenience and reducing physical/document-copying risks.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: How will UIDAI ensure that offline verification (via the new Aadhaar App) is rolled out uniformly across states and sectors, that entities adopt it timely, and that data-security, audit-logging, selective-sharing and user-control protections are built into practice?
Follow the full news here: UIDAI Builds Offline-Verification Ecosystem Ahead of New Aadhaar App Launch