Your Aadhaar ID can now be linked to your Google account. Well, sort of. It is not like Aadhaar-PAN card linking, or Aadhaar and bank account linking, but Google and UIDAI have announced that the identity details can now be stored in Google Wallet. Effectively, this means Google Wallet can be now used to verify a user through Aadhaar in places where such authentication is supported. Google says that for now Wallet verification works with select partners, including at PVR INOX and BharatMatrimony.
While the partnership with UIDAI was announced earlier in January, on Tuesday Google said Indian users can now store their Aadhaar details in Google Wallet. The storing happens through Aadhaar Verifiable Credentials, an offline-verification protocol that UIDAI launched a few months ago. The features similar to what Google is offering are also available through the new Aadhaar app released by UIDAI a few months ago. In simple terms, this means your Aadhaar details will be securely saved on Wallet app installed on your phone and can be used whenever you need to prove your identity.
As noted earlier, this isn’t exactly a full “linking” of Aadhaar with your Google account, like how it is linked with your phone number. Instead, it’s more about convenience.
How does Aadhaar in Google Wallet work?
Once you add your Aadhaar credentials to Google Wallet, you can use them in situations where identity verification is needed, like proving your age, confirming your identity on apps, or even filling out forms. Google highlights the “selective disclosure” feature, which means you don’t have to share your full Aadhaar details every time. Only the necessary bits — like your age or name — are shared, depending on the situation.
“Building on our UIDAI partnership, consumers in India can now save their Aadhaar Verifiable Credentials directly in Google Wallet on the device,” explains Alan Stapelberg, group product manager at Google Wallet. “This new capability creates a secure, digital-first ID and makes it easier to verify identity for everyday conveniences.”
Google is pitching this as a privacy-first approach. The credentials are stored on your device, and the system is built on global digital ID standards. The idea, according to the company, is to reduce oversharing of personal data while still making verification quick and easy.
While a few places that will accept Aadhaar through Google Wallet are already on board, the tech giant says more will join. It highlights that soon MyGate and Snabbit will also accept Aadhaar verification through Google Wallet.
