New Delhi: India could soon introduce facial recognition technology (FRT) for international air travel. Speaking at the CAPA Digital Aviation Summit, Digi Yatra Foundation CEO Suresh Khadakbhavi announced plans for a pilot study in June 2025.
“We are planning an international pilot project in June 2025 between two countries. We don’t want to overcommit. However, we are working in this direction,” said Khadakbhavi.
Currently, the DigiYatra service is only available for domestic travellers in India. It allows contactless airport entry and security clearance using facial biometrics. Khadakbhavi added, “We will also work with the Bureau of Immigration and visa-issuing agencies to enable this service for international visitors flying in and out of India.”
DigiYatra, introduced by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Digi Yatra Foundation, is a mobile-based platform allowing air travellers to store their ID and travel documents securely. The system uses facial recognition to streamline the airport experience by eliminating the need for physical ID checks.
The Indian government has planned to expand DigiYatra to cover 24 airports. However, as of now, the service is operational only at 8 airports, with the goal of rolling it out to more airports soon.
Several countries are already using biometric systems at airports to streamline immigration and boarding processes for foreign nationals.
The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that the project will be launched in phases across the country following the successful pilot. The chip in e-passports will store critical information, making it harder to forge. The technology complies with International Civil Aviation Organization regulations.
Khadakbhavi added, “Countries like Singapore and those within the European Union have launched e-passports. A significant number of their citizens hold such passports, so the pilot project will be done with their involvement.”
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