DPI Brief — August 01, 2026

CKYC 2.0 Goes Live: India’s “One Nation, One KYC” Vision Takes Shape

Layer: L1 (Identity)

Starting August 1, India’s upgraded Central Know Your Customer (CKYC) 2.0 framework has begun rolling out across banks and insurance companies, with mutual funds and stockbrokers to follow in phased onboarding. Developed jointly by RBI, SEBI, and IRDAI, the system lets customers complete KYC verification once and reuse those records across all participating financial institutions—eliminating the repetitive document submissions that have plagued Indian financial onboarding for years.

Under CKYC 2.0, verified customers receive a 14-digit identification number. Financial institutions can then instantly verify identity using real-time APIs and OTP-based consent, requiring only a mobile number or PAN after explicit customer permission. For NRIs—particularly in the UAE—this means dramatically fewer identity checks when opening bank accounts, buying insurance, or investing from abroad. This is the most significant reform to India’s KYC infrastructure since CKYC 1.0 launched in 2016.

Sources: BusinessToday, Gulf News

UPI International Expansion Accelerates: UAE Becomes Focal Point

Layer: L2 (Payments)

NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) has significantly deepened UPI’s presence in the UAE, partnering with payment solutions providers including Magnati, Network International, and Mashreq Bank to enable QR-based UPI payments at point-of-sale terminals. The initial rollout covers Dubai Duty Free, with plans to expand across retail, hospitality, transport, and supermarkets.

The UAE is home to 3.5 million Indian residents and receives over 7 million Indian visitors annually, making it one of India’s most active travel corridors. UPI now handles over 18 billion transactions monthly. Meanwhile, a parliamentary committee report on finance for FY 2026-27 has flagged that the government’s UPI/RuPay subsidy has shrunk to ₹8,000 crore over four years—covering only 11% of actual industry costs and 14% of potential MDR collections. The committee recommended reintroducing a graded Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) to make the ecosystem financially sustainable rather than dependent on the exchequer.

Sources: DD News/PIB, Economic Times

ONDC Crosses 500 Million Transactions; Tourism Segment Goes Live

Layer: L4 (Commerce)

The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) has crossed a landmark 500 million cumulative transactions since its first transaction in Bengaluru in April 2022. In Q1 of FY26-27 alone, 885+ tourism experiences went live on the network, over 10 lakh mutual fund purchase transactions were completed since inception, and ₹145 crore in credit was disbursed through the network.

The tourism segment’s launch is particularly noteworthy—offering 600+ experiences across 120+ curators and 63+ destinations. This expands ONDC beyond its core food delivery and grocery segments into travel and experiences, broadening its addressable market. India’s ONDC model has also attracted international attention, with Indonesia launching its own Open Network (ION) based on the ONDC architecture.

Sources: ONDC Official (X), Drishti IAS Monthly Consolidation

DigiLocker Adds PHID Bus Pass; Digital India Awareness Workshop in Nagaland

Layer: L3 (Documents)

MeitY has announced that the PHID Bus Pass is now available digitally on DigiLocker, enabling citizens to access it anytime without carrying a physical copy. DigiLocker now has over 71.66 crore registered users, cementing its position as India’s largest document verification platform.

Meanwhile, a Digital India Awareness Workshop was held in Kohima, Nagaland on July 30, 2026, where NPSC was felicitated for its DigiLocker integration. The workshop covered Digital Public Infrastructure platforms including DigiLocker and Entity Locker, aimed at driving adoption in the northeastern states.

Sources: MeitY (Facebook), Nagaland IPR

ABDM Showcased at 29th National e-Governance Conference in Jaipur

Layer: L5 (Sectoral)

The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) is being showcased at the 29th National Conference on e-Governance (NCeG) 2026 in Jaipur, highlighting India’s digital health infrastructure. The National Health Authority (NHA) CEO presented on ABDM’s progress, including ABHA ID adoption and Health Information Exchange initiatives. ABDM branding has also been launched in Jaipur Metro to increase public awareness.

The conference, held on July 1-2, 2026, also featured sessions on AI for smart policing, citizen participation in governance, and urban transformation through technology.

Sources: ABDM (Instagram)

Published by DPI Watch. Covering all 7 layers of India’s Digital Public Infrastructure.