After Aadhaar revolutionized identity verification and UPI transformed digital payments, India is gearing up for another major leap in its Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) — a Digital ID for every address. This initiative aims to bring order, security, and precision to how addresses are written, used, and shared across the country.
Why It’s Needed
Currently, India has no uniform address system. Millions of addresses are vague, often relying on nearby landmarks or informal names, especially in rural or densely populated areas. This lack of standardisation creates confusion and inefficiency in:
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Government service delivery
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E-commerce and package deliveries
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Emergency services and mapping
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Urban planning and administration
Estimates suggest India loses $10–14 billion annually — about 0.5% of its GDP — due to inefficiencies caused by poor address systems.
What’s Being Planned: The Digital Address System
The government, led by the Department of Posts and closely monitored by the Prime Minister’s Office, is developing a new digital address framework, expected to be released in draft form for public feedback within a week.
Key features include:
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Clear standards for writing and formatting addresses.
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Consent-based sharing of address data, to prevent misuse.
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Integration into India’s DPI framework alongside Aadhaar and UPI.
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DIGIPIN (Digital Postal Index Number) — a 10-character alphanumeric code that will uniquely identify a location using exact geographic coordinates.
DIGIPIN will offer an exact location, solving the challenge of identifying homes in:
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Remote villages
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Urban slums
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Hilly or forested regions
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Unauthorised or informal settlements
Privacy and Control
A crucial part of this system is data protection and personal consent. Unlike today’s practice, where companies often store or share address data without consent, the new digital address ecosystem will allow individuals to control who sees their address and for what purpose — similar to consent-based sharing of Aadhaar data.
What Comes Next
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Draft release: Due within a week for public consultation.
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Final plan: Expected by the end of the year.
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New legislation: A law to establish a governing authority could be introduced in Parliament’s winter session.
Why It Matters
This system could become as essential as Aadhaar or UPI, especially in the context of India's growing digital economy, logistics boom, and urban development. Once implemented, India will be one of the first countries to create a universal, digital, geolocation-based address identity system, laying the groundwork for smarter governance and better citizen services.
In short, India is building a future where every place has a digital fingerprint — clear, secure, and uniquely yours.
