India stands at the cusp of a digital identity revolution, with a clear intent to redefine how citizens interact with technology, government services, and financial systems. With the Aadhaar program already serving as a cornerstone of identity verification, the nation is uniquely positioned to expand its leadership by adopting reusable digital identity solutions. However, this transformative journey requires a delicate balance of policy, technology, and security to ensure scalability, efficiency, and privacy for over a billion people. In a conversation with Tech Achieve Media, Evin McMullen, co-founder of Privado ID, shares insights into the opportunities, challenges, and innovative strategies that can propel India to the forefront of digital identity innovation.
TAM: What key challenges do you foresee in India’s adoption of reusable digital identity solutions, and how can they be addressed through policy or innovation?
Evin McMullen: Modernizing digital identity in a secure way to serve billions of people requires alignment with technology, policy and security. India can expand its market leadership in frontier technology and lead the way in citizen services while mandating the highest degrees of safety for users.
TAM: How do reusable digital identities align with India’s existing frameworks like Aadhaar, and what role can they play in complementing these systems?
Evin McMullen: Aadhaar serves citizens across India, and represents a valuable element of citizen identity. By extending the capabilities of Aadhaar in a secure way, we can enablee verification across a new variety of applications, and even streamline access to financial and government services.
TAM: In your opinion, how can the Union Budget 2025 incentivize private and public sector collaboration for widespread adoption of reusable digital identity solutions?
Evin McMullen: The Union Budget 2025 can commit resources to digital infrastructure and transformation, creating opportunities for the development of new businesses and safer online experiences. We look forward to seeing committed resources that will bring state of the art digital identity access to citizens everywhere.
TAM: What are the critical elements to ensure data privacy and security while implementing reusable digital identities at scale in India?
Evin McMullen: With data of this sensitivity and scale, best-in-class privacy and security are essential. Scaling to over a billion people also requires a service that is efficient, accessible and stable. Implementing zero-knowledge proofs and privacy-by-design technical architecture can prevent hacks and maintain safety for citizen data in the age of AI.
TAM: Can you share global examples or case studies where reusable digital identities have significantly reduced bureaucracy and enhanced efficiency?
Evin McMullen: We’ve collaboratively developed reusable digital identity solutions for global partners including HSBC and Deutsche Bank. Our partners are already seeing benefits that come with near-real-time settlement to enhance asset security and operational efficiency, all while maintaining data privacy. This is especially valuable to practices like multi-currency accounts and foreign exchange services, and market-making and over-the-counter services in the EMEA, APAC, and LATAM regions.
