The final approval from the Indian government is imminent for onboarding the master systems provider on the Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity, Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha said.
Digital Ministry officials confirmed to the Sunday Times business that the final procedural formalities continue despite earlier financial gaps where bids from master system integrators surpassed initial allocations.
Backed partially via Indian grant assistance, the platform relies on the Modular Open-Source Identity Platform (MOSIP), which mirrors the foundational structure of India’s Aadhaar system to secure biometric data. Shortlisted major tech firms include TCS, Infosys, and Protean, which are now in the final evaluations.
Mr. Jha told the Sunday Times Business on the sidelines of the recent “India Calling” Business event, organised by the Lanka India Business Association (LIBA), that the long-awaited Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity (SLUDI) project is nearing its launch phase. “It is right on track, and the final approvals are being awaited,” he said.
Highlighting the potential of the partnerships in the two countries, focusing on economic integration and scaling up collaboration in AI, technology, and innovation at a fireside chat, he said that digital identity in India has managed to affect its safety net successfully. “This means that with the digital identity, we have managed to reduce poverty and, in some places, eradicate it. This has been possible largely on the digital platform that we have built.”
Noting that the India-Sri Lanka relationship is the best that it has ever been, he stressed enhancing connectivity, Free Trade Agreement partnerships etc.
He pointed out that India has a strong relationship with start-ups, noting that an incubator-accelerator relationship with Kerala Start-ups is being built with Sri Lanka. “AI needs to be adopted to culture,” he observed, noting that start-ups in India have been built on the backbone of Aadhaar.
He pointed out India’s major contributions to Sri Lanka’s economy, noting that it is the largest trading partner, the primary source of tourists, and a major foreign investor. He also said that Indian-linked investments constituted 50 per cent of Sri Lanka’s total foreign direct investment inflows in the previous year.
This flagship event brought together business leaders, policymakers, and investors to discuss opportunities for deeper trade, investment, and regional cooperation.
(By Duruthu Edirimuni Chandrasekera for the Business Times)