India has taken another step towards modernising air travel with the mandatory implementation of the DigiYatra biometric transit system for international passengers at 4 major airports. Effective June 1, 2026, travellers departing from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad airports must use the DigiYatra platform for biometric verification during their journey.
The move is aimed at simplifying passenger movement through facial recognition technology, enabling a faster, paperless, and contactless travel experience. Under the DigiYatra system, a passenger’s face will act as a digital identity token, allowing seamless access through airport entry points, security checkpoints, and boarding areas without repeated document checks.
The initiative forms part of the government’s broader aviation modernisation efforts. Authorities also plan to extend DigiYatra services to 27 more airports across the country by next year.
To use the system, passengers must upload an Aadhaar-verified selfie along with their boarding pass on the DigiYatra app at least 48 hours before departure. Upon arriving at any of the 4 designated airports, travellers can proceed through dedicated biometric e-gates.
Facial recognition cameras will verify the passenger’s live image against an encrypted biometric template stored on the DigiYatra cloud platform. Once verified, access to the international transit corridor will be granted automatically.
The new process removes the need for repeated boarding pass scans during transit, helping reduce congestion and improve passenger flow at key airport checkpoints.
Major airlines, including IndiGo and Air India, have already updated their pre-departure communications regarding the mandatory requirement. International carriers such as Emirates and Lufthansa have also issued operational guidance to their ground teams ahead of implementation.
DigiYatra is currently operational at multiple airports across India and has already facilitated more than 10 crore passenger journeys, highlighting its growing adoption among air travellers.
Also read: Viksit Workforce for a Viksit Bharat
Do Follow: The Mainstream LinkedIn | The Mainstream Facebook | The Mainstream Youtube | The Mainstream Twitter
About us:
The Mainstream is a premier platform delivering the latest updates and informed perspectives across the technology business and cyber landscape. Built on research-driven, thought leadership and original intellectual property, The Mainstream also curates summits & conferences that convene decision makers to explore how technology reshapes industries and leadership. With a growing presence in India and globally across the Middle East, Africa, ASEAN, the USA, the UK and Australia, The Mainstream carries a vision to bring the latest happenings and insights to 8.2 billion people and to place technology at the centre of conversation for leaders navigating the future.