New Aadhaar App launched for secure digital identity and QR-based verification

Key facts

• Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), launched the new Aadhaar App on 28 January 2026 at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.
• The application was developed by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) as a core component of India’s Digital Public Infrastructure vision.
• The budget outlay for the new Aadhaar App was not specified in the article.
• The app targets residents across India, allowing them to manage up to five Aadhaar profiles on a single device linked to the same mobile number.
• Security features include biometric lock and unlock, facial authentication, encrypted Quick Response (QR) code-based verification, and selective attribute sharing.
• The app enables digital storage of Aadhaar, address and mobile number updates, contact card QR codes, and logs of usage and authentication history.
• The Pathik App, an Aadhaar-enabled guest verification system by the Gujarat Police in collaboration with UIDAI, was also highlighted for contactless Know Your Customer (KYC) and hotel check-ins.