UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Mumbai and met with Nandan Nilekani, co-founder of Infosys and chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India, to discuss the implementation of a digital ID system in the UK, modelled on India’s Aadhaar programme.
According to sources, Starmer’s spokesperson clarified that the meeting was not about a commercial deal with Infosys, emphasising that the UK government intends to develop its own version of the digital ID scheme.
Despite declining public support for digital ID cards in the UK, with all opposition parties expressing their intent to oppose the initiative, Starmer remains optimistic, citing India’s “massive success” with Aadhaar.
Speaking to the media before departing for Mumbai, he said, “We are going to a country, India, where they've already done ID and made a massive success of it. So one of the meetings I will be having is about ID, in relation to that.” He further argued for the benefits of a voluntary ID system, stating, “There is a case to be made about the benefits of voluntary ID into other areas, and obviously, we need to make that case. 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.”
According to Starmer’s spokesperson, the proposed UK system will not incorporate biometric data at this stage. Last month, Starmer announced that British citizens and permanent residents would require a mandatory digital identification card to access employment, a measure aimed at curbing unauthorised immigration by making it harder to work in the underground economy.
He explained that the digital ID would also simplify access to healthcare, welfare, childcare, and other public services, stating, “You will not be able to work in the United Kingdom if you do not have a digital ID. It's as simple as that.”
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Since World War II, the UK has not mandated identity cards for ordinary citizens, and civil campaigners argue that such a system infringes on personal liberty and risks compromising private information. A previous attempt by former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair to introduce biometric ID cards was abandoned due to public and parliamentary opposition.
Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, noted in an Associated Press report, “There's always been this feeling that Britain is not a so-called 'papers, please' society, in contrast to continental Europe and other countries where ID cards are very common.” He added, “It has to be said, however, that given one is forced in some ways to prove one's ID in myriad circumstances, both in contact with the government and in contact with the private sector in all sorts of ways, a digital ID card would be quite useful.”
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