New Delhi, May 19 -- Last month, when Google announced that Indian residents can now store their Aadhaar verifiable credentials in their Google Wallet, the reaction was shrill. Since then, much ink has been spilt about the implications of this announcement and what it means for our personal data and digital sovereignty. Reading these pieces, it seems that much of the concern stems from an imperfect understanding of what has been implemented and the benefits it can bring.

To understand what this is all about, refer to Section 4(3) of the Aadhaar Act, which states that holders of an Aadhaar number can voluntarily use it to establish their identity. They can do so physically-by presenting their Aadhaar card to whoever asks for it-or electro...