India’s Digi Yatra Biometric Air Travel Platform Surpasses 9 Million Users, Plans International Expansion

India’s Digi Yatra biometric platform has become a significant player in modernizing air travel across the country, reaching over 9 million active users since its launch in December 2022. The platform, which uses facial recognition technology for contactless passenger processing, now operates across 24 airports nationwide, expanding from its initial implementation in Delhi, Bengaluru, and Varanasi. The rapid adoption builds on IDEMIA’s technology partnership with GMR Group, which helped establish the foundation for the system’s nationwide rollout.

The system currently processes an average of 30,000 new app downloads daily, showing substantial adoption among domestic air travelers. The growth matches broader global trends, as IATA’s recent passenger surveys indicate increasing acceptance of biometric technology in air travel processing. In a move to enhance accessibility, Digi Yatra plans to incorporate support for all 22 official Indian languages by March 2025, making it more inclusive for India’s diverse population.

The platform’s expansion includes international collaboration with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), aimed at developing seamless end-to-end international travel experiences. The partnership follows IATA’s longstanding advocacy for biometric passenger boarding solutions to improve the travel experience. Plans are underway to initiate trials with foreign passengers holding electronic passports by June 2025, pending bilateral agreements to ensure platform security.

While biometric authentication has gained traction in India’s aviation sector, it has not been implemented for Goods and Services Tax (GST) registration processes, despite recent discussions about expanding digital identity verification in tax administration. The application of biometric technology in India remains primarily focused on air travel infrastructure, where it has shown promising results in reducing passenger processing times and enhancing security measures.

The success of Digi Yatra reflects a broader global shift toward contactless passenger processing, similar to systems implemented by Emirates in Dubai and the TSA’s expanding facial recognition program in U.S. airports. However, unlike some international implementations, Digi Yatra has maintained a strict focus on passenger privacy, with data storage limited to 24 hours after flight completion.

Sources: Tribune India

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January 01, 2025 – by the ID Tech Editorial Team