Customer verification for mobile SIM purchase

Digital ID is used for instant customer verification during mobile SIM card purchase and activation through Aadhaar-based electronic know your customer (e-KYC) processes. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), in collaboration with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), launched Aadhaar-based e-KYC in 2016, which enabled paperless and instant SIM activation. Customer identities were authenticated through biometric verification, such as fingerprint, face, or iris scans, against the Aadhaar database. This process eliminated the need for physical document submission and manual verification, which reduced SIM activation time from days to minutes. The system was widely adopted by major telecom operators, such as Airtel, Vodafone Idea, Reliance Jio, and BSNL, becoming the dominant method for new mobile connections across India. Notably, Aadhaar-based e-KYC for SIM is voluntary.