Agreement with Starlink and UIDAI

Why in news ?

Recently, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has announced a partnership with private satellite-based internet service provider Starlink. This move is in the news because it is a new experiment to make Aadhaar-based customer verification seamless and fast.

Key Points:

• This is the use of Aadhaar authentication by a global satellite internet provider, which shows the reliability and scalability of India's digital infrastructure.
• It shows that the Aadhaar system can ensure transparency and accountability while enabling innovation in service delivery.
• Aadhaar's face authentication solution is now becoming increasingly popular, as it makes life easier for citizens and ensures ease of doing business.
• This partnership will further strengthen the reach of digital services in rural and remote areas, thereby promoting digital inclusion.

Aadhaar:

• It is an identity card issued by the Government of India to the citizens of India. 
•  It was launched on 28 January 2009 by the Government of India through UIDAI.
• Issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India.
• It contains a unique 12-digit number, which is unique for each individual.
• It is just an identity card, it is not a certificate of citizenship.
• Adult Aadhaar cards are usually white in colour.
• Aadhaar cards contain demographic information including the address and date of birth of the individuals as well as biometric information such as fingerprints and iris scans.
• Any person can enroll for Aadhaar, who-
  • Is a resident of India
  • Completes the verification process prescribed by UIDAI
  • Irrespective of his age, gender, caste, religion

About Starlink:

• Starlink is a satellite internet service from SpaceX that aims to provide high-speed, low-latency broadband internet in parts of the world where traditional internet services are unreliable, expensive or unavailable at all.
• It uses a large constellation of thousands of small satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO). These satellites are very close to the Earth's surface, which significantly reduces latency compared to traditional geosynchronous satellites.