India trials passport-free checks at seven airports
India has begun trials of its Digi Yatra biometric passenger processing system for international departures at seven airports, ahead of a wider rollout planned for 2027.
The trials, running from November to December, cover Delhi, Bengaluru (pictured), Hyderabad, Cochin, Mumbai, Chennai and Amritsar airports. Eligible Indian nationals holding e-passports can use the technology on selected international flights operated by Air India and IndiGo.
According to India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation, passengers will be able to use facial recognition at participating terminal entrances, security checkpoints and boarding gates, where the necessary infrastructure is available. Feedback gathered during the trials will help determine the next phase of deployment.
At Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport, the initiative builds on a technical proof of concept conducted earlier this year with IATA, IndiGo, SITA and Digi Yatra, which explored integrating secure digital credentials with biometric passenger processing.
George Fanthome, Chief Technical Officer at Bengaluru Airport’s operator, Bangalore International Airport Limited, said: “Through this trial, we are bringing together secure digital identity and face-enabled processing to reduce repeated document checks across participating touchpoints, while building a framework that can evolve and scale with the future needs of international travel.”
Digital credentials
To participate, passengers must create an e-passport-based Verifiable Credential through the Digi Yatra mobile application. This involves scanning the passport’s machine-readable zone, reading its embedded chip using a smartphone’s near-field communication technology and completing selfie verification.
The resulting credential is stored in a digital wallet on the passenger’s device and can be presented at participating airport checkpoints.
However, the trials do not eliminate existing international travel requirements. Passengers must still carry their passports, complete mandatory airline document checks and undergo immigration procedures.
At Bengaluru, the initial deployment covers terminal entry and security, with the potential to extend to boarding on selected international services.
The international expansion follows growing domestic adoption of Digi Yatra, which currently has more than 26.5 million registered users and has facilitated over 110 million passenger journeys across 39 Indian airports.
A further 25 domestic airports are expected to adopt the platform by 2027, alongside the planned wider international rollout. The trials will assess how digital identity technology can streamline airport processing while retaining existing security and border control requirements.
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