“Entity Locker is DigiLocker for businesses β enabling secure, consent-based digital document management for India’s enterprise ecosystem.”
Entity Locker is a cloud-based digital governance tool developed by the National eGovernance Division (NeGD) under the Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY). It is designed for businesses, startups, MSMEs, trusts, and societies to securely store, verify, and share essential documents.
While DigiLocker serves individual citizens, Entity Locker extends the same digital infrastructure to organizational entities, providing encrypted storage, Aadhaar-authenticated access, and seamless integration with regulatory systems like MCA, GSTN, and DGFT. It aligns with India’s Union Budget 2024-25 objectives of enhancing ease of doing business.
π What is Entity Locker?
Entity Locker is a cloud-based digital governance tool that serves as a secure repository for business documents. It enables organizations to:
- Store: Securely keep incorporation documents, licenses, tax filings, and compliance records
- Verify: Authenticate documents through government-linked verification systems
- Share: Provide consent-based access to regulators, banks, investors, and stakeholders
The platform ensures end-to-end encryption and legally valid digital signatures, making it compliant with India’s digital governance standards.
Think of Entity Locker as a “digital safe” for businesses. Just like you keep important papers in a physical locker, Entity Locker keeps your company’s documents in a secure digital vault. The difference? You can instantly share these documents with banks, government departments, or investors with just a few clicks β no photocopies, no courier, no delays.
β¨ Key Features of Entity Locker
Entity Locker offers several advanced features for business compliance:
Key Features Mnemonic β “ICADS”: Integration (with govt systems), Consent-based sharing, Aadhaar authentication, Digital signatures, Secure storage (10 GB).
π₯ Who Can Use Entity Locker?
Entity Locker is designed for various organizational entities:
| Entity Type | Use Case | Key Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Corporations | Regulatory filings, document management | Streamlined MCA compliance |
| MSMEs | Loan applications, vendor verification | Faster approvals, reduced paperwork |
| Startups | Incorporation docs, investor verification | Quick onboarding, compliance ready |
| Trusts & Societies | Governance documents, registrations | Simplified documentation |
π Integration with Government Systems
Entity Locker connects seamlessly with major regulatory databases:
- MCA (Ministry of Corporate Affairs): Company registration, annual filings, director details
- GSTN (Goods and Services Tax Network): GST returns, tax compliance documents
- DGFT (Directorate General of Foreign Trade): Import-export licenses, IEC certificates
- Government Procurement Systems: Vendor verification for tenders and GeM portal
This integration allows auto-fetch of verified documents, reducing manual uploads and ensuring authenticity.
Don’t confuse: Entity Locker is developed by NeGD under MeitY, not MCA or GSTN. While it integrates WITH these systems, it is a separate platform. Also, Entity Locker is for BUSINESSES; DigiLocker is for INDIVIDUALS.
βοΈ Entity Locker vs DigiLocker
Understanding the difference between these two digital locker platforms:
| Aspect | DigiLocker | Entity Locker |
|---|---|---|
| Target Users | Individual citizens | Businesses, MSMEs, Startups, Trusts |
| Developed By | NeGD, MeitY | NeGD, MeitY |
| Documents | Aadhaar, PAN, DL, Marksheets | Incorporation docs, GST, Licenses |
| Authentication | Aadhaar/Mobile OTP | Aadhaar + Role-based access |
| Integration | Personal documents issuers | MCA, GSTN, DGFT, Procurement systems |
| Primary Use | Personal identity & education | Business compliance & governance |
DigiLocker revolutionized personal document management for citizens. Entity Locker does the same for businesses. Together, they form two pillars of India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) β one for individuals, one for enterprises. This mirrors global trends of digital identity systems expanding from citizens to organizations.
π Alignment with Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)
Entity Locker aligns with India’s broader digital transformation agenda:
- Union Budget 2024-25: Focus on reducing administrative burdens for businesses
- Ease of Doing Business: Single-window digital access to compliance documents
- India Stack: Builds on Aadhaar, UPI, and DigiLocker foundations
- Paperless Governance: Reduces physical document requirements in business processes
The platform supports MSMEs and startups by expediting vendor verification, loan approvals, FSSAI compliance, and tax processing.
Entity Locker represents the expansion of India’s DPI from citizen services to enterprise services. Discuss: How can such platforms transform India’s regulatory environment? What role does trust infrastructure (like digital signatures) play in reducing business friction? Compare with Estonia’s e-Residency and Singapore’s CorpPass.
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Entity Locker is developed by National eGovernance Division (NeGD) under the Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY).
DigiLocker is for individual citizens, while Entity Locker is specifically designed for businesses, MSMEs, startups, and trusts.
Entity Locker provides 10 GB of encrypted cloud storage for business documents.
Entity Locker integrates with MCA, GSTN, DGFT, and government procurement systems. NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India) manages payment systems like UPI, not document management.
Entity Locker uses Aadhaar-based authentication with role-based access control.