India had implemented a scheme similar to Aadhaar card for identification of citizens. Now the same plan will be implemented in Sri Lanka and for this ‘Unique Digital Identity Project’, India has given the first installment of 45 crore rupees to Sri Lanka. This is an important plan towards the ‘digitisation’ of Sri Lanka. This scheme is being funded by the Government of India. The Office of the President of Sri Lanka has also confirmed this.

The plan was discussed in detail in a high-level meeting held at the President’s Office of Sri Lanka.Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Gopal Bagle handed over a check of Rs 45 crore to Sri Lanka’s Technology Minister Kanak Herath. This amount is 15 percent of the total amount.The Sri Lankan government will try to complete the project within the stipulated time, said President’s Adviser Ratnanayaka. An agreement regarding this project was signed between India and Sri Lanka in March 2022. The check was presented to Kanaka Herath by the Indian High Commissioner, Gopal Bagale, and Eldose Mathew, the First Secretary of the Office of the President of Sri Lanka, at a key meeting of the President’s Office Officers. The meeting was attended by the President’s Senior Advisor on National Security, the Chief of Presidential Staff and the Technical Minister of Sri Lanka, Kanaka Herath. During the meeting, there was much discussion on the project. The first instalment of Rs 45 crore was presented to Herath, which is 15% of the total sum. Rs 45 crore has already been deposited as an advance payment. The President’s Advisor Ratnanayaka also said that his government will strive to complete the project on time. The Indian High Commissioner made the announcement via a tweet on social media platform X.Sri Lanka’s Digital Identity Project What is Sri Lanka Digital Identity Project? Sri Lanka Digital Identity Project (SILIP) is a project by the government of Sri Lanka to collect biographic and biometric data of its citizens. This includes facial, iris, and fingerprint data. This data will be collected and stored in a centralised system in accordance with the rules of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). SILIP is similar to the Unique Identification (UIDI) scheme in India. This scheme has helped in bringing the digital revolution in India.

Sri Lanka’s digital identity project will facilitate access to government services and alleviate poverty. It will also help the government of Sri Lanka to implement public social security schemes more effectively. Economic inclusion in Sri Lanka will improve as people will be able to access banking and other services more easily.In March 2022, India signed an agreement with Sri Lanka on the digital identity project. The agreement provides for the establishment of a ‘Joint Project Monitoring Committee’ between the two countries. The software development of the project is being carried out by the Government of