Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirms Aadhaar Law to Align with DPDP Act

India’s Aadhaar legislation is set for a significant overhaul to align with the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, according to recent media reports quoting Union Minister for Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw.

During the Aadhaar Samvaad event held earlier this week, Vaishnaw reportedly emphasized the need for a modern legal framework that ensures better privacy, user rights, and data protection aligned with today’s digital realities.

Media reports Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stating, “When the Aadhaar Act was enacted, India did not have a comprehensive data protection law. Now, with the DPDP Act in place and the accompanying rules soon to be notified, it is time for the Aadhaar law to be made compatible with this new legal environment.”

The move comes at a time when data privacy is increasingly central to governance and public trust in digital infrastructure. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has been urged to draft a revised Aadhaar law that brings it in sync with the DPDP Act’s principles—especially around user consent, transparency, and accountability in data processing.

This update is seen as a major step toward strengthening India’s digital ecosystem, making Aadhaar more secure and compliant with global privacy norms, while maintaining its utility as a key enabler of public service delivery.

In a related development, the government is testing a new Aadhaar mobile application that introduces face ID authentication, eliminating the need for physical Aadhaar cards or photocopies.

Currently in beta testing, the app is designed to allow users to share only essential identity information based on explicit consent, thereby strengthening user privacy and reducing the risk of identity misuse. The timing is notable, following reports of misuse of AI tools to generate fake Aadhaar and PAN details.