Sri Lanka is moving ahead with plans to roll out its first national digital ID system, known as the Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity (SL-UDI), by the third quarter of 2026. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced the initiative during a budget address in parliament, calling it a milestone in the nation’s transition toward a “vibrant digital economy.” Backed by a 10.4-billion-rupee grant from the Indian government, the SL-UDI will integrate with a new national data exchange and cloud infrastructure designed to streamline access to public services. Dissanayake assured citizens that the system would uphold “strong data privacy and citizen protection,” despite public concern over government surveillance and data misuse.

The SL-UDI marks another step in the global movement toward digital identification systems—a trend many view as a precursor to centralized control over commerce and personal freedoms. As nations worldwide rush to implement biometric databases, cloud governance, and digital wallets, the infrastructure for global identity tracking continues to expand. Revelation 13 warns of a future system where “no one can buy or sell” without centralized authorization. While Sri Lanka’s plan is presented as innovation and efficiency, it also underscores how quickly governments are converging on technologies capable of monitoring every citizen’s movements, transactions, and digital footprint. The groundwork for total connectivity—and total control—is being laid one ID system at a time.

SOURCE: Biometric Update