Sri Lanka digital ID Master Systems Integrator expected to be named in March

The selection of an Indian firm as Master System Integrator (MSI) for the Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity (SL-UDI) is expected to be finalized by the end of March, according to a top government minister.

“The Master Systems Integrator procurement process has started, and all clarifications were sent to the final five operators,” Eranga Weeraratne, Deputy Minister of Digital Economy, told Biometric Update. Confirming this, chief presidential adviser on digital economy Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya said that he is hopeful the MSI will be finalized by the end of next month.

The selection of an Indian firm as MSI is a condition of the 10–12 billion Sri Lankan rupee grant provided by the Indian government for the implementation of the Modular Open Source Identity Platform (MOSIP) system.

Five Indian firms — Infosys Ltd, Tata Consultancy Services Ltd,  Protean e-Gov Technologies Ltd, RailTel Corporation of India Ltd. and Bharat Electronics Ltd. – have been shortlisted to bid for the digital ID project, as of late last year, with services and equipment, including data centres and 2,300 biometric kits, being sourced through India’s National Institute for Smart Government (NISG).

The MSI’s role is strictly limited to the implementation and testing phase.

The SL-UDI project aims to create a secure and inclusive digital identity system, which is a key component of Sri Lanka’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). The first digital ID is anticipated to be issued in the third quarter of 2026, with existing National Identity Cards (NIC), which are supplied by Thales, remaining valid during a 3–5 year transition period. The digital ID will be accessible via a mobile app called “e-Locker,” featuring biometric authentication, QR code verification, and a printable version for those preferring physical documentation.

Article Topics

digital ID  |  digital identity  |  India  |  MOSIP (Modular Open Source Identity Platform)  |  procurement  |  SL-UDI  |  Sri Lanka