Trump cites India’s Aadhaar-EPIC linking as model for US Voter ID system
New York: US President Donald Trump has referred to India’s Aadhaar-EPIC linking initiative as an example of strong election integrity measures while announcing new rules for voter identification in federal elections.
In an order issued on Tuesday, Trump mandated that voters in federal elections must provide proof of citizenship, such as a passport or other official documents. In the order, he drew a comparison between India’s voter identification process and that of the US, mentioning in the first paragraph that India has tied voter identification to a biometric database, whereas the US largely depends on self-attestation for citizenship.
“Despite pioneering self-government, the United States now fails to enforce basic and necessary election protections employed by modern, developed nations, as well as those still developing,” Trump stated.
The order marks a significant shift in US voting procedures, as the country does not have a centralised election system. Elections in the US are conducted under state and local laws, which vary widely. In contrast, India’s elections are overseen by a national Election Commission that enforces uniform rules and systems across the country.
India’s Election Laws (Amendment) Act, 2021 introduced the provision for linking Aadhaar with the Election Photo Identification Card (EPIC). The Election Commission of India is in the process of finalising the mechanism for its implementation, and many voters have already linked the two.
Trump’s order is expected to face legal challenges, as the conduct of elections in the US, including federal elections, is governed by state laws under the Constitution. California’s state law, which prohibits officials from asking voters for identification, directly conflicts with Trump’s order.
Democrats have criticised such identification requirements, arguing that they may disenfranchise poor and marginalised voters. Republicans, on the other hand, claim that lax voter ID laws have opened doors to election fraud.
Trump also highlighted voting practices in other countries, stating that Germany and Canada use paper ballots counted in public, reducing disputes over election results. He pointed out that nations like Denmark and Sweden limit mail-in voting to those unable to vote in person and reject late-arriving ballots.
The new order will also tighten rules for postal voting in the US. Trump criticised the current American system, which allows mass voting by mail, acceptance of ballots without postmarks, and those received after Election Day, contrasting it with Brazil’s model that requires voters to link their biometric ID with voter identification.
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Andhra to be developed as knowledge, creator economy hub: CM Naidu
New Delhi/Amaravati (PTI): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday said the state is taking steps to transform itself into a knowledge and creator economy hub with a strong focus on artificial intelligence and quantum technology.
He noted that Andhra Pradesh has abundant tech-driven youth and the government is formulating plans to train them in futuristic technologies with support from global technology firms.
"Our goal is to transform Andhra Pradesh into a knowledge hub by focusing on AI, quantum computing, data centres, drone cities and space cities. The youth will remain our biggest asset over the next 25 years, and we seek global partnerships to scale up the creator economy," said Naidu during his interactions at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in Delhi.
Naidu, who participated in the summit in the national capital, also held meetings with several global technology leaders and industrialists to explore collaborations in artificial intelligence, clean energy and innovation ecosystems.
He met Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen, Autodesk AI Head Mike Haley, Aramco India Director Abdul Rehman AiThukair, LEGO Education Vice President Tom Hall, Aadhaar Founder and CTO Srikanth Nadhamuni, Khosla Ventures Managing Partner Vinod Khosla and others at the AP Pavilion.
The chief minister also held discussions with Saudi Aramco representatives on clean energy projects, including solar initiatives, and invited the company to expand operations in Andhra Pradesh, stating that the state is highly suitable for green energy production.
He sought support from NVIDIA Vice President Callista Redmond for establishing AI Living Labs and proposed partnerships through the Ratan Tata Innovation Hub to promote youth innovation, including collaborations with IIT Tirupati and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati under the Andhra Pradesh Future Innovation and Research for Science and Technology (AP FIRST) initiative.
Naidu urged Autodesk leadership to support the development of Global Capability Centres in design engineering and requested the establishment of an Innovation Academy in Amaravati aligned with quantum technology, besides proposing AI and robotics learning labs in partnership with LEGO Education.
He also discussed AI-driven smart governance solutions with Quantela Inc Chairman Sridhar Gadhi, while World Bank Group Digital AI Regional Director Mahesh Uttamchandani met Naidu on the sidelines of the summit.
Following the meetings, Naidu visited various exhibition stalls at the summit, including those of NVIDIA, Tata, Intel and Microsoft, and reviewed AI applications across agriculture, healthcare and industry.
