ID Talk: How Bhutan Leapfrogged to Next-Gen Digital ID

On this week’s episode of ID Talk, co-hosts Tony Bitzionis and Alex Perala are joined by Anand Acharya and Pallavi Sharma, who discuss their work on Bhutan NDI, a pioneering national digital ID program that incorporates blockchain and biometric technologies. The project first got underway in 2021, and officially launched last year after His Royal Highness Gyalsey Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, the country’s crown prince, became the first citizen to enroll in the system. Bhutan NDI has since received accolades and continued to advance technologically.

It is an ambitious program, as Anand and Pallavi make clear on ID Talk. Among other things, the conversation delves into the historical and geographic factors that led to the digital ID project, the system’s architecture and its rationale, and the project’s ambitious plans for the future—and it illustrates how a relatively small country can technologically leapfrog larger states in implementing new technologies.

It’s a fascinating case study in pioneering digital ID that encompasses a range of identity technologies. Listen to the full episode on your podcast platform of choice, or through the media player below. And if you’re planning to attend Identity Week Asia in October, be sure to catch Pallavi’s talk at the Suntec Convention Center.

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September 23, 2024 – by the ID Tech Editorial Team