Expanding Digital Identity in Aviation

India has officially commenced trial runs of the Digi Yatra digital passenger verification facility for international travelers holding e-passports. The rollout spans seven major airports across the country, serving as a critical preliminary phase ahead of a wider, full-scale international implementation slated for 2027.

The ongoing trial phase, scheduled to run through November and December, is designed to rigorously assess passenger experience, collect operational feedback, and evaluate system stability. Officials note that the current phase is focused on eligible Indian nationals traveling on select international routes operated by Air India and IndiGo.

Airports and Infrastructure Included in Trials

The preliminary trials are active at key transport hubs, including:

* Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi * Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai * Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru * Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad * Chennai International Airport, Chennai * Cochin International Airport, Kochi * Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport, Amritsar

Where infrastructure allows, participating passengers can utilize the Digi Yatra touchpoints at designated airport entry points, security hold areas, and boarding gates. However, authorities emphasize that the digital system currently complements rather than replaces traditional international travel protocols. Travelers are still required to carry physical passports and undergo mandatory airline document verification, formal immigration checks, and other standard regulatory procedures.

How the System Works

To access the service during the trial phase, passengers must generate a specialized e-passport-based Verifiable Credential via the official Digi Yatra mobile application.

The onboarding process requires users to scan the Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) of their passport, read the embedded biometric chip using a smartphone's Near Field Communication (NFC) capability, and complete a secure selfie-based identity verification check. Once authenticated, the credential is securely stored within the user's local device wallet for quick verification at enabled airport touchpoints.

Domestic Growth and Future Outlook

The international trial builds upon the substantial expansion of Digi Yatra within India's domestic aviation network. To date, the platform has registered over 26.5 million users and successfully facilitated more than 110 million passenger journeys across 39 domestic airports.

Following the conclusion of the international trials and subsequent feedback integration, the government plans to systematically expand the biometric travel framework to additional international routes and airports leading up to the 2027 deadline. Concurrently, domestic expansion efforts are expected to bring another 25 airports under the Digi Yatra umbrella by the same year.