140 mn+ transactions handled; BC and assisted services market seen growing at 19% CAGR
New Delhi, 14th Oct, 2025: BLS International under its digital business is stepping up its technology investments to future-proof its digital services platform, with a sharp focus on AI, cloud computing, and cybersecurity as transaction volumes surge across its Business Correspondent (BC) and assisted service network.
The company is focus upon the tech capabilities and integrating AI tools, primarily for AI model development, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, and system upgrades, designed to support a portfolio of 300+ citizen-centric services under BC segment. In FY25 alone, BLS International under its digital business (BLS E-Services) handled over 140 million transactions, with gross transaction value (GTV) crossing ₹87,000 crore, underscoring the scale at which its tech backbone must now operate.
“Our asset-light model ensures rapid reach without heavy physical infra capex, but deliberate investments in AI, cloud and cybersecurity are critical to keep pace with India’s digital surge,” said Shikhar Aggarwal, Chairman, BLS International. “We are building not just for today’s 140 million transactions, but for a future where scale will multiply several times as Bharat goes digital.”
Recently, BLS integrated AI into the retailer onboarding process due to the inefficiencies of traditional methods, which were slow, manual, and prone to errors, leading to delays in agent activation. By leveraging AI, the company sought to eliminate bottlenecks such as manual document verification, lengthy financial reviews, and physical agreement formalities. This transformation aligns with BLS; broader vision of advancing financial inclusion by enabling faster, more secure, and scalable onboarding of service provider, particularly in underserved regions. The use of AI ensures that even remote areas can benefit from streamlined processes, ultimately expanding access to financial services for unbanked and underbanked populations.
Looking ahead, the Annual Report notes that future capital expenditure will be directed towards expanding cloud infrastructure, AI-driven analytics, and advanced cybersecurity frameworks to handle anticipated growth. With the BC and assisted services sector projected to grow at a 19% CAGR to touch 439 billion by FY29, these investments are seen as critical.
The other key initiatives include the roll-out of BLS Buddy, an AI-powered virtual assistant that provides real-time support to last-mile agents, enabling cross-sell opportunities in insurance, loans, e-learning, and healthcare. The company is also expanding its BLS Sewa app into a one-stop digital hub and government services on a single citizen interface.
Over the last five years, BLS has followed an asset-light model, with minimal physical infra capex as merchants owned or leased outlets. However, in the past two years, the company has scaled up technology-linked investments, integrating acquisitions like Aadifidelis and strengthening its proprietary platforms for e-governance and financial services delivery.
Industry trackers said the shift from low physical infra capex to deliberate digital infra investments marks a turning point for BLS, enabling the company to blend low-cost reach with high-tech resilience in an increasingly competitive financial inclusion ecosystem.
