UIDAI is working with cybersecurity startups to build quantum computing products

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The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which operates the Aadhaar database, is working with two cybersecurity startups to build quantum computing-based products.

“We are already working with two startups in the cybersecurity field to develop products that are quantum computing based. Nasscom has been a supporter in this and we hope to collaborate with them,” UIDAI chief Saurabh Garg said at the India Stack Developers Conference on January 25.

The Indian government hosted the conference to engage with developers building products on top of India Stack, foreign governments who want to adopt tech architecture, and startups, among several other stakeholders.

Garg said at the conference that Aadhaar has helped bring down the cost of authentication for banks to Rs 3 from Rs 20 earlier.

Banks already account for 40 percent of the 7 crore-plus Aadhaar authentications that are done daily, whereas 20 percent of them are due to the public distribution system (PDS).

“We are working on now to expand the number of authentication user agencies. The banking sector is more or less fully on board. We have a large number of NBFCs – nearly 300 of them have come on board in the last six months alone and we are expanding that network,” said Garg.

“We are expanding our capacity to handle 20 crore authentications a day,” he added.

UIDAI had introduced face authentication in October and 10 entities, including Kotak Bank and Airtel, are already using it. Another nine entities are getting on-boarded to use the authentication system.

Garg said that UIDAI is also building an ‘eKYC (electronic know-your-customer) minus’ authentication system which can be used in cases where a person does not need to share all his details. For example, it can be used to verify the age of a customer in a bar where only those above 25 years of age may be allowed.