Fiji PM visits UIDAI headquarters for a deep dive into Aadhaar

India is a significant exporter of digital public infrastructure (DPI) as its Aadhaar digital ID system – the largest in the world – is admired and modelled by those seeking to build out their own.

The Prime Minister of Fiji Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka recently visited Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) headquarters in New Delhi. The Fijian government is known to be working on a national digital ID, along with a National E-commerce Strategy aimed at boosting digital infrastructure and cross-border digital economy. Poverty alleviation is another major target.

“Digital IDs are an effective tool against poverty and a critical piece of digital public infrastructure,” Fiji Justice Minister Siromi Turaga has said in previous comments, recognizing how the system streamlines identity verification and collection.

India’s digital ID system is embedded in innumerable public and private services. Deputy Director General of UIDAI Vivek Chandra Verma walked the Fijian delegation through Aadhaar’s design and impact on inclusive digital governance and service delivery.

UIDAI CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar alongside senior figures from the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Electronics and IT played host. Delegations from Nepal have studied Aadhaar, while India has formed partnerships with Sri Lanka and Uganda and a strategic cooperation with Indonesia for DPI.

Nand Kumarum, President and CEO of the National e-Governance Division (NeGD), showcased DigiLocker, India’s digital document vault. DigiLocker is integrated with Aadhaar, and it allows citizens to store and instantly share verifiable credentials such as educational certificates and property records.

A live demonstration of the Aadhaar enrolment process offered delegates insight into India’s approach to national digital ID and the scale of its ecosystem.

Beyond the technical deep dive, Prime Minister Rabuka’s program included high-level meetings at Rashtrapati Bhavan and Hyderabad House. His discussions with President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi ranged across defense, trade, healthcare, agriculture, mobility and people-to-people ties.

During the meeting, President Murmu communicated India’s commitment to strengthening ties and development partnerships with the Pacific Island Countries (PICs).

In October 2024, Fiji proposed a three-year timeline for the completion of its national ID project.

Article Topics

Aadhaar  |  biometrics  |  digital ID  |  digital identity  |  digital public infrastructure  |  Fiji  |  India  |  UIDAI