The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has onboarded Elon Musk-owned global satellite internet provider Starlink Satellite Communication Private Limited, allowing the company to use Aadhaar authentication for verifying its customers, Ministry of Electronics and IT announced on Wednesday.

Officials said this step will make the process of customer verification smooth, secure and hassle-free.

Under the arrangement, Starlink will use Aadhaar e-KYC to onboard new users. This means customers can complete their verification quickly and paperlessly while staying compliant with Know Your Customer (KYC) norms.

UIDAI clarified that Aadhaar authentication will be voluntary, as per existing rules.

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The appointment of Starlink as a Sub-Authentication User Agency and Sub-eKYC User Agency was formalised in the presence of UIDAI CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar, Deputy Director General Manish Bhardwaj, and Starlink India Director Parnil Urdhwareshe.

Officials described the collaboration as a powerful synergy between India’s trusted digital identity system and global satellite technology.

With Aadhaar e-KYC, Starlink will be able to seamlessly bring high-speed satellite internet to homes, businesses and institutions across the country.

UIDAI noted that Aadhaar has become the backbone of India’s digital public infrastructure, easing both everyday living and business processes.

Its face authentication solution, which allows Aadhaar holders to verify themselves with a simple scan, is also seeing rapid adoption due to its convenience.

By adopting Aadhaar authentication, Starlink is demonstrating confidence in India’s digital systems.

The move, experts say, highlights the scalability and reliability of Aadhaar and shows how it can drive innovation in service delivery while ensuring transparency and accountability.

Meanwhile, the earlier this month, the Ministry announced that UIDAI signed an umbrella agreement with the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) for joint research and development (R&D) to further enhance the robustness, security and reliability of Aadhaar operations through data-driven innovations.