Fiji PM Sitiveni Rabuka Visits UIDAI Headquarters, Explores India’s Digital ID Innovations

The Honourable Prime Minister of the Republic of Fiji, Mr. Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka, along with a high-level delegation, paid an official visit to the headquarters of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) in New Delhi. The dignitaries were accorded a warm welcome by Sh. Bhuvnesh Kumar, Chief Executive Officer of UIDAI, along with senior representatives from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).

Learning from India’s Digital Public Infrastructure

The visit served as a platform for the Fijian delegation to gain in-depth insights into India’s pioneering digital identity ecosystem, which has become the backbone of the country’s digital public infrastructure. India’s Aadhaar programme, widely regarded as the world’s largest biometric ID system, has revolutionized access to government and private sector services by offering secure, inclusive, and scalable solutions.

Deputy Director General of UIDAI, Sh. Vivek Chandra Verma, provided a detailed presentation on Aadhaar, explaining its design, implementation, and transformative role in enabling residents to seamlessly access essential services. He highlighted how Aadhaar has streamlined welfare delivery, reduced leakages, and expanded the reach of social and financial inclusion initiatives.

Additionally, Sh. Nand Kumarum, President and CEO of the National e-Governance Division (NeGD), introduced the delegation to DigiLocker, India’s flagship digital document wallet. He elaborated on its significance in enabling paperless governance, secure storage of official records, and greater citizen convenience in service delivery.

Demonstration of Aadhaar Enrolment

The Fijian Prime Minister and his delegation were given a live demonstration of the Aadhaar enrolment process, allowing them to observe first-hand the speed, efficiency, and transparency of the system. The demonstration showcased Aadhaar’s capability to operate at massive scale while ensuring robust data security and privacy safeguards.

This practical experience provided the visitors with a clear understanding of how India has successfully leveraged technology to create a trusted, inclusive, and people-centric digital identity ecosystem.

Strengthening Bilateral Cooperation in Digital Transformation

The visit underscored the growing collaboration between India and Fiji in the field of digital transformation. As Fiji continues to enhance its own e-governance systems, the sharing of India’s expertise in digital public infrastructure will serve as a valuable reference point.

The engagement also highlighted India’s commitment to digital diplomacy, wherein the country is extending its knowledge, platforms, and best practices to partner nations. Through such cooperation, India aims to foster a global ecosystem of interoperable and sustainable digital solutions.

India’s Global Role in Digital Innovation

The discussions during the visit reaffirmed India’s position as a leader in digital innovation, with its solutions like Aadhaar, DigiLocker, and the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) being increasingly recognized as models for replication worldwide. These platforms exemplify the vision of using technology as a tool for empowerment, inclusion, and efficient governance.

Prime Minister Rabuka’s engagement with UIDAI reflects Fiji’s interest in adopting and adapting India’s digital innovations to accelerate its own journey towards inclusive growth and modern governance.

As the world looks toward sustainable development and people-centric governance, India’s willingness to share its digital expertise with global partners like Fiji is paving the way for stronger South-South cooperation in the digital era.