SmartCards Expo was launched in 1999 by Electronics Today, India’s first techno-economic electronics monthly journal and the pioneer organisers of electronics/IT exhibitions in India since 1969. The 2016 edition of the exhibition recorded 14% growth in the number of exhibitors and 10% growth in space occupied by the exhibitors.

Parallel to the SmartCard Expo, there will be several related shows including e-Security, RFid India, Biometrics India, e-Payments India and Mobile Payments India Expo.

All these technologies are linked with one another and the show will play an important role in bringing companies, clients and end-users to one single platform.

According to a recent report by Nasscom and Deloitte, the Internet of Things (IoT) market in India is expected to grow up to USD 15 billion by 2020 from USD 5.6 billion in 2016, driven by adoption across sectors like manufacturing, automotive, transportation and logistics, etc. The IoT ecosystem in India comprises of around 120 organisations from across the value chain. The global IoT market expected to grow to over USD 3 trillion by the same period as both consumer and industrial applications drive overall IoT growth.

While consolidating the current market base, Secure ID devices are finding newer application areas. Smart card replaced by biometrics (Aadhaar) in certain government applications, especially government subsidies distribution, is penetrating into newer application areas like corporate, manufacturing and most important banking and financial sector.

Similarly, RFID applications are growing rapidly – almost at the CAGR of about 25%. Its applications are spreading into industrial segment, manufacturing, healthcare, railways, transport, retail, automotive, supply chain, public transit and several other areas.

As projected earlier, Biometrics market in India is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 35% during 2015-2020. Growth in the biometric market is anticipated on account of its extensive use in government applications – e-passport, Visa, unique ID card under Aadhaar, integration of biometric technologies in security systems and of course government subsidies distribution.

The Digital India initiative, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in 20015, aims to connect the entire country with high-speed internet networks to ensure availability of government services electronically to the rural population. The initiative has also created a sort of cordial and friendly scenario in the country for secure Identification technologies like smart card, RFID and biometrics.

India is witnessing a year on year growth of close to 40% in digital transactions. According to experts, the shift to Digital (electronics/ mobile) Payment will give a big boost to the Indian economy. According to a report by Counterpoint Research, “India has become the second largest smartphone market in the world with 220 million smartphone users”. Thus, it does make economic sense for businesses to have a mobile first/mobile ready platform.