The entire identity of 1.1 billion people, available for $7. A journalist proved it by buying access to the Aadhaar database. The government's response? They filed a police complaint against the journalist. Then in 2023, 815 million records appeared on the dark web. UIDAI kept saying "no breach ever." The world's largest biometric database, protected by denial. An 11-year-old girl in Jharkhand starved to death because her family's ration card was cancelled — they hadn't linked it to Aadhaar. Labourers whose fingerprints were worn from years of manual work couldn't authenticate. The biometric system built to "include everyone" has a failure rate that kills the poorest people in the country. Digital inclusion, with a body count.
What they claim: UIDAI claims Aadhaar biometric data is "fully safe and secure" with "no breach ever"
What we found: In 2018, The Tribune of India demonstrated that full Aadhaar database access — including names, addresses, phone numbers, and photographs of all 1.1 billion enrolled citizens — could be purchased for 500 rupees ($7) through unauthorized access sold by middlemen. UIDAI filed a police complaint against the journalist. In 2023, Resecurity reported 815 million Indians' Aadhaar and passport data was offered for sale on the dark web.
What they claim: Aadhaar promoted as enabling inclusive access to government services and welfare for all Indians
What we found: Research by journalists and academics documented cases of Indians dying after being denied food rations because Aadhaar biometric authentication failed. An 11-year-old girl in Jharkhand died of starvation after her family's ration card was cancelled for not being linked to Aadhaar. Labourers with worn fingerprints from manual work were systematically excluded from the biometric system.
What they claim: Aadhaar described as a development tool for financial inclusion and efficient welfare delivery
What we found: Aadhaar creates a unified surveillance infrastructure linking biometrics to every financial transaction, phone call, and government interaction. Combined with India's Centralised Monitoring System (CMS) and the planned national facial recognition system, Aadhaar provides the unique identifier needed to connect disparate surveillance databases into a single profile per citizen.
What they claim: India's Supreme Court ruled in 2018 that Aadhaar cannot be mandatory for bank accounts, mobile phones, or school admissions
What we found: Despite the Supreme Court ruling, private companies and government agencies continued demanding Aadhaar for services ranging from mobile phone SIM cards to school admissions. Banks routinely refused to open accounts without Aadhaar. The court order is widely ignored in practice, with citizens having no practical recourse when denied service for not providing their Aadhaar number.