This report provides some context to the evolution and design of Aadhaar by exploring the identity landscape in India pre- 2009, and by highlighting two other Indian identity programmes that provided important lessons for UIDAI despite not reaching scale. The report then looks at Aadhaar through the lens of the World Bank’s principles for identification – a set of common principles that are considered to be fundamental to maximising the benefits of identification systems for sustainable development. In doing so, the report is able to highlight how particular elements of Aadhaar have been designed and implemented to ensure that it is inclusive, secure and trustworthy.
