From Delhi to Downing Street: How India’s Aadhaar Model Is Shaping UK’s Plan to Curb Illegal Migration

The United Kingdom’s Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, is in India with an entourage of 125 delegates, including tech leaders, industry experts, policymakers, and innovators. While the visit primarily focuses

on accelerating the implementation of the India-UK trade deal, Starmer has shown keen interest in India’s digital ID program. During the trip, he met with Nandan Nilekani, co-founder of Infosys Ltd. and a key architect of Aadhaar, India’s digital identification system.According to a Bloomberg report, Starmer sought guidance from Nilekani as he looks to set out a similar system in Britain. The UK Prime Minister’s spokesman, Dave Pares, told reporters on Wednesday that Keir Starmer “wanted to hear from him” as the government considers rolling out a national identification card.Starmer has proposed a digital ID system on smartphones, arguing it could help curb illegal employment. “It would be a good passport,” he said, noting that regular Britons could also use the system to access all government services through a single portal.Speaking to journalists during his Mumbai trip, Starmer stressed the need for the ID to combat illegal work.He added that migrants would be required to show the digital ID to prove their right to work. Starmer also suggested the government should encourage broader public use, highlighting the convenience for everyday administrative tasks:“I don’t know how many times the rest of you have had to look in the bottom drawer for three bills when you want to get your kids into school, or apply for this or apply for that. I do think we could gain a significant advantage,” he said.Starmer pointed to India’s existing ID system as a model: “India had already done ID and made a massive success of it…one of the meetings I’ll be having is about ID.”

Trip Focus: Trade and Business Deals

Starmer arrived in India on Tuesday with 125 UK business and cultural leaders to promote the free trade agreement signed between the two countries in July. He and Prime Minister Narendra Modi also deliver keynote speeches at the Global Fintech Fest on Thursday, following a bilateral meeting in the morning.During Modi’s visit to Chequers in July to sign the trade deal, Starmer said the agreement would bring “huge benefits to both of our countries” by boosting wages, raising living standards, and reducing consumer prices.So far, Starmer’s trip has included meetings with business leaders. According to his office, agreements struck during the visit are expected to create nearly 7,000 jobs, with 64 Indian companies investing £1.3 billion ($1.7 billion) in the UK, the report added. Starmer also participated in cultural and sports initiatives. On Wednesday, he visited a Premier League football community program to meet aspiring young Indian footballers and attended a Yash Raj Films announcement about three Bollywood productions set to be filmed in the UK starting next year.