BIO-key EMEA Subsidiary Partners with Citadel Global to Expand India Presence and Accelerate Adoption of Biometric Identity Solutions in Support of EU–India Free Trade Agreement

MADRID and MUMBAI, India, Jan. 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BIO-key International, Inc. (NASDAQ:BKYI), a global leader in Identity and Access Management (IAM) and biometric authentication solutions, today announced the planned launch of a Mumbai office, its first in India. This new presence will be staffed by a local team and supported by a newly formed partnership with Citadel Global, a trusted value-added distributor (VAD) with deep expertise in national and enterprise-scale cybersecurity and identity solutions.

The India initiative, led by BIO-key's Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) subsidiary , is in support of the European Union and India free-trade agreement signed earlier this month. The agreement, the largest-ever trade pact between the two economies, aims to reduce tariffs and deepen economic cooperation across key sectors including services and technology.

BIO-key EMEA's new India presence positions it to reach and better serve large enterprises, financial institutions, and call center operations across India, empowering them with secure, scalable, and modern IAM and biometric technologies to meet the evolving demands of digital transformation.

The BIO-key EMEA portfolio — including PortalGuard® IAM, Passkey:YOU™ passwordless authentication, Identity-Bound Biometrics (IBB), WEB-key biometric engine, and compact authentication devices — will be delivered through Citadel's local market infrastructure, which will provide pre-sales engagement, deployment support, training, and customer success services.

"We are excited to partner with BIO-key EMEA to deliver world-class identity and biometric solutions across India and SAARC nations," said Brejesh Bisht, Sales Director, Citadel Global. "This collaboration brings global expertise together with local execution strength, enabling organizations to fortify their cybersecurity posture and embrace advanced IAM with confidence."

"India is a pivotal growth market for digital identity and cybersecurity innovation, and the recent EU–India free trade agreement marks a transformative moment for expanded collaboration across technology sectors," said Alex Rocha, Managing Director – International, BIO-key EMEA. "Our expanded presence in Mumbai, together with our partner Citadel Global, will help Indian enterprises adopt secure IAM and biometric capabilities that support compliance, customer trust, and efficient operations in a rapidly digitizing economy."

This expansion aligns with a broader strategic push by international partners to strengthen technology ties with India following the India–EU free trade agreement. Hailed as the "mother of all deals" — the trade agreement opens significant opportunities for trade in services and technology and fosters an environment encouraging multilateral investment, innovation, and cooperative growth. 

About Citadel Global (citadelglobal.co)

Citadel Global is a leading provider of enterprise technology solutions, specialising in cybersecurity, identity and access management, and digital transformation services across India and SAARC markets. With a strong focus on technical delivery and customer engagement, Citadel enables organisations to adopt and operationalise advanced security technologies.

About BIO-key EMEA (bio-key.com/international/)

BIO-key Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) is a subsidiary of BIO-key International. BIO-key is revolutionizing authentication and cybersecurity with biometric-centric, multi-factor identity and access management (IAM) software securing access for over forty million users. BIO-key allows customers to choose the right authentication factors for diverse use cases, including phoneless, tokenless, and passwordless biometric options. Its cloud-hosted or on-premise PortalGuard IAM solution provides cost-effective, easy-to-deploy, convenient, and secure access to computers, information, applications, and high-value transactions.

BIO-key Safe Harbor Statement

All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical facts are "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act"). The words "estimate," "project," "intends," "expects," "anticipates," "believes" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management pursuant to the "safe-harbor" provisions of the Act. These statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those included within or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include factors set forth under the caption "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and other filings with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to disclose any revision to these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

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