India's Information Technology Act, 2000 (amended in 2008) provides the legal framework for electronic signatures in India. Section 2(1)(ta) defines electronic signatures, and Section 5 grants them legal validity equivalent to handwritten signatures when the requirements are met.
India · Enacted 2000 (amended 2008)
Section 5 grants electronic signatures the same legal validity as handwritten signatures
2008 amendment broadened scope from 'digital signatures' to 'electronic signatures'
Electronic signature must be reliable and linked uniquely to the signatory
Signature creation data must be under sole control of the signatory
Any alteration to the document or signature after signing must be detectable
Applies to all contracts and documents except those specified in the First Schedule
India's Information Technology Act, 2000 (amended in 2008) provides the legal framework for electronic signatures in India. Section 2(1)(ta) defines electronic signatures, and Section 5 grants them legal validity equivalent to handwritten signatures when the requirements are met. The 2008 amendment expanded the definition from 'digital signatures' to 'electronic signatures,' recognizing a broader range of authentication technologies. For an electronic signature to be valid under the IT Act, it must be reliable, linked to the signatory, and capable of identifying them. The signature creation data must be under the sole control of the signatory, and any alteration after signing must be detectable. SignForge records each of these: a consent-based workflow, signer identification via email and metadata, ECDSA cryptographic verification, and SHA-256 document hashing.
These are the facts we capture and store for every signature. Information Technology Act, 2000 sets the requirements above — whether what we record satisfies them for a given transaction is a legal question that depends on the circumstances.
Signer identified via email, IP address, and user-agent — uniquely linked to signatory
Sole control via unique cryptographic token sent only to signer's email address
SHA-256 hashing detects any post-signing document alteration
ECDSA P-256 cryptographic signatures provide mathematical proof of integrity
Full audit trail with timestamps, IP addresses, and device information
QR code verification allows any party to confirm document authenticity
TLS 1.3 + SHA-256
Cryptographic proof
Append-only, immutable
Certified infrastructure
Yes. Under Section 5 of the Information Technology Act, 2000, electronic signatures have the same legal validity as handwritten signatures, provided they meet the requirements for reliability, signer identification, sole control, and tamper detection.
Most commercial and business documents can be signed electronically, including contracts, NDAs, agreements, and invoices. Documents excluded under the First Schedule include negotiable instruments, powers of attorney, trusts, and wills.
SignForge records signer identification (email + metadata), sole control via unique cryptographic tokens, tamper detection through SHA-256 hashing, and a complete audit trail. The IT Act reserves its stronger statutory position for digital signatures issued under a Certifying Authority licensed by the Controller of Certifying Authorities; SignForge is not a licensed Certifying Authority and does not issue those. An ordinary electronic signature remains valid and admissible under Section 5.
General information — not legal advice
This page summarizes electronic signature legislation drawn from primary legal sources and international bodies including UNCITRAL and UNCTAD. It is not legal advice and creates no solicitor–client or attorney–client relationship. Laws change, and how they apply depends on the transaction, the parties, and the document type. Before relying on electronic signatures for a regulated, high-value, or cross-border transaction — or for any document type listed as excluded — take advice from qualified counsel in the jurisdiction whose law governs that transaction. That is a separate question from the governing law of your agreement with SignForge, which is set out in our Terms of Service.
Last reviewed: 10 August 2026
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