Digital signatures for mobiles become a reality in India

Indian firm MobME Wireless Solutions has signed agreements with Netherlands-based Gemalto and Finland-based Valimo Wireless Oy, to provide digital signature services on mobile phones.

"With over 900 million mobile phone subscribers and 15 million broadband users, the mobile phone is the preferred platform for maximising the potential of digital signatures for a digital revolution in India," MobMe chief executive officer Sanjay Vijayakumar said in a statement.

MobME Wireless Solutions has bagged the technology rights to roll out mobile digital signatures that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has, in its guidelines, recommended as the preferred mode for secure log-ins and transactions.

The company signed the agreements in Paris Wednesday.

Digital signatures are highly recommended and backed by the IT Act in India and thus guarantee highest levels of security and legal validity.

However, the penetration has been limited to around three million users in the country having a population of over 1.2 billion, as till now it is used only through computer.

The biggest beneficiary of mobile digital signatures would be mGovernance services, as all government services need signatures by citizens while sending their applications to any government department.

"Convenient and highly secure, we foresee mobile digital signatures revolutionising the mGovernance landscape in India," Vijayakumar said.

Until now mobile governance (mGovernance) services are generally used for receiving information like exam results, agricultural alerts etc. which are basic services on SMS.

"With mobile digital signatures, farmers will be able to apply for agricultural schemes or birth certificate information can be entered from Primary Health Centres through mobile phones and certificates issued instantly on the ground," Vijayakumar said.