The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) announced five new initiatives aimed at making Aadhaar-related services more convenient, strengthening security and supporting digital governance. According to reports from The Economic Times, these announcements were made at the 'Aadhaar Samvaad' in Kolkata on September 29, 2026, which coincided with the 17th Aadhaar Day. More than 600 senior policy makers, industry leaders, technocrats and professionals attended the stakeholders' conference.
UIDAI, the Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) and the National Informatics Centre (NIC) launched Face Authentication for the Electronic Public Distribution System (ePDS). As reported by The Economic Times, this consent-based and contactless authentication option provides beneficiaries with an additional way to authenticate themselves, particularly when fingerprint authentication may be difficult. States and Union Territories can integrate Face Authentication into their ePDS ecosystems to enhance service delivery.
UIDAI launched SWIK Portal 2.0, designed to streamline the process of seeking approval for Aadhaar authentication under the Aadhaar Authentication for Good Governance framework. According to The Economic Times, eligible non-Government entities can submit proposals for permissible use cases directly through the portal to the concerned Ministry or Department. The new Sub-AUA/Sub-KUA (LITE) Framework is intended to facilitate wider adoption of Aadhaar authentication by government and eligible other-than-government entities with low-volume requirements, enabling simpler and faster onboarding while following security and regulatory requirements.
UIDAI unveiled a new Token Management System to make it easier for residents to visit UIDAI state and regional offices for services. As reported by The Economic Times, the revamped UIDAI website was launched by Minister of State Jitin Prasada, with the redesigned website bringing four fundamental resident journeys into a clearer structure. The website currently supports 13 languages including English and Hindi through BHASHINI integration, with plans to expand to 23 languages in the near future. The revamped website also introduces the UIDAI Career Portal for online applications for deputation opportunities.
Minister of State Jitin Prasada described Aadhaar as 'a very critical component for India's growth story' and said it has been instrumental in service delivery, financial inclusion and ensuring that government benefits reach the right people. According to The Economic Times, UIDAI CEO Saurabh Vijay emphasized that residents remain at the centre of UIDAI's actions and that the new launches are aligned with its resident-centric approach. Vivek C Verma, Deputy Director General, UIDAI, stated that the organisation is responding to changing needs, including emerging technologies, new forms of service delivery, privacy, security and resident convenience.
