India Backs Myanmar's Digital ID Pilot Despite Rights Concerns

Published Date : 7/30/2025 

Myanmar and India have formalized a partnership to pilot Myanmar’s Digital Identity Programme. Despite concerns over the military government's surveillance and repression, India is committed to sharing technological knowledge and expertise to support the project. 

Myanmar is pushing ahead with its digital ID system, formalizing partnerships even as its military government faces criticism for surveillance and repression. The country has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with India to support the pilot phase of Myanmar’s Digital Identity Programme. This agreement was signed in Naypyidaw, with Union Minister for Immigration and Population U Myint Kyaing and Indian Ambassador Abhay Thakur in attendance.

The MoU commits India to sharing technological know-how, regulatory practices, and operational expertise. It establishes expert consultations, implementation support, and resource-sharing to lay the groundwork for Myanmar’s Digital Identity Pilot Project. Minister Kyaing emphasized that a foundational electronic ID system is central to Myanmar’s digital government framework.

He praised India’s pledge of essential IT assistance, strategic guidance, human resource development, and policy expertise. Ambassador Thakur reaffirmed Delhi’s commitment to ongoing technical exchanges and the value of India’s operational experience in guiding implementation strategies. Previously, a Burmese delegation travelled to Bangalore to tour the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) Technology Centre. Deputy Director-General Tanusree Deb Barma demonstrated how the Aadhaar system powers current operations, manages data input, and continually refines record verification processes.

Last year, at the International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIIT-B), institute leaders highlighted their partnership with Myanmar’s University of Information Technology and showcased India’s Modular Open-Source Identity Platform (MOSIP) deployments abroad. Representatives from India’s National Institute of Smart Government (NISG) joined the meeting and discussed the implementation of a digital ID modeled on Aadhaar in a subsequent discussion with Kyaing. NISG is managing an RFP for Sri Lanka’s national digital identity system issued in June.

Myanmar has seen armed conflict with insurgency groups, dissent over the military government’s rule, and crackdowns on opposition political parties and activists. The country is split between pro-democracy and ethnic rebel groups and the military junta, which has limited control beyond major cities. The government has intermittently shut down internet access, deployed firewall systems, and blocked parts of the internet, which critics call a “digital iron curtain” and a “digital dictatorship.”

It has been alleged that the junta has made the electronic ID a tool for coercion and repression. Wai Phyo Mint, a digital rights advocate and policy analyst at Access Now, claims the project has been “weaponized” against thousands of civil servants who joined the Civil Disobedience Movement. Mint says those who tried to escape the country under false identities, after arrest warrants were issued, were unable to do so as the new system cross-references biometric data across passports, SIM cards, and financial records.

Early last year, young Burmese attempted to flee following a military conscription law, which led to a surge in passport applications. The junta then made e-ID a requirement to acquire a passport and border passes. In response to such claims, the Ministry of Immigration and Population has said the digital ID system is not designed for surveillance but aims to securely manage personal information and to verify citizens’ identities for official use. The ministry states that the implementation of a digital ID platform will streamline applications such as bank account openings, healthcare, and licensing access.

While the UK, EU, and Canada have imposed sanctions targeting Myanmar’s military regime, it has received support from the governments of China, Russia, and, to a lesser extent, India. Mint has called for companies in China and India to halt technology transfer and in particular the supply of biometric systems and censorship technology that could enable surveillance and repression. Human Rights Myanmar has claimed “discriminatory surveillance practices” such as data retention, SIM registration, VPN blocks, and facial recognition in a submission to the UN High Commissioner. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What is the Digital Identity Programme in Myanmar?

A: The Digital Identity Programme in Myanmar is a project aimed at creating a foundational electronic ID system to streamline various official processes, including bank account openings, healthcare, and licensing access.

Q: What is the role of India in this project?

A: India is providing technological know-how, regulatory practices, and operational expertise through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support the pilot phase of Myanmar’s Digital Identity Programme.

Q: Why are there concerns about the digital ID system?

A: There are concerns that the digital ID system could be used for surveillance and repression by the military government, which has faced criticism for human rights violations and crackdowns on dissent.

Q: What is MOSIP and how is it related to Myanmar's project?

A: MOSIP, or Modular Open-Source Identity Platform, is an open-source platform for digital identity systems. It is being considered for Myanmar’s digital ID project, with Indian institutions providing guidance and support.

Q: How has the international community responded to Myanmar's digital ID project?

A: While some countries like China and Russia support the project, others like the UK, EU, and Canada have imposed sanctions on Myanmar’s military regime due to human rights concerns. 

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