Digi Yatra will begin trials of its digital passenger processing platform for eligible international travellers at seven Indian airports from November 1, 2026. The three-month trial will allow Indian nationals holding e-passports and travelling on international flights operated by Air India and IndiGo to use digital credentials at designated airport touchpoints.
The trials will run until December 2026 and cover Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin, Mumbai, Chennai and Amritsar airports. The programme will initially be available for all international destinations served by Air India and selected destinations served by IndiGo.
The initiative extends Digi Yatra’s digital identity-based passenger processing system, currently used for domestic air travel, to selected international departures. Passenger feedback collected during the trial will inform plans for a wider rollout in 2027.
E-passport credentials for airport processing
Eligible passengers will be able to create an e-passport-based Verifiable Credential (VC) through the Digi Yatra mobile application. The process involves scanning the passport’s Machine Readable Zone (MRZ), reading the information stored in its electronic chip using a compatible smartphone’s Near Field Communication (NFC) capability, capturing a selfie and verifying the details.
Once created, the credential will be stored in the passenger’s Digi Yatra wallet on their device. Passengers can use it at enabled airport touchpoints during the trial, subject to infrastructure availability.
The designated touchpoints include terminal entry, the Security Hold Area (SHA) and boarding gates. The availability of the service will depend on the infrastructure installed at each location.
The trial is limited to Indian nationals holding e-passports who are travelling on eligible international flights operated by Air India and IndiGo. Passengers will continue to be required to carry their travel documents and complete mandatory airline document checks, immigration procedures and other travel formalities.
The digital credential is intended to facilitate passenger processing at participating airport touchpoints. It does not replace immigration checks or other existing travel requirements.
Interoperability with international frameworks
Digi Yatra Foundation CEO Suresh Khadakbhavi said the international trials would build on the platform’s use in domestic air travel. He said interoperability with international frameworks would be important in assessing how digital credentials based on e-passports could support passenger processing across borders.
The frameworks cited by Digi Yatra include the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) One ID initiative and the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Public Key Directory (PKD).
One ID focuses on the use of digital identity and biometric-enabled processes to simplify passenger journeys. ICAO’s PKD supports the verification of electronic travel documents by enabling participating authorities to access public key information used to authenticate electronic passport data.
According to Khadakbhavi, exploring interoperability with these frameworks will form part of Digi Yatra’s efforts to assess the use of e-passport-based credentials for international travel. He added that passenger consent, privacy and security would remain central to the process.
The three-month trial will provide an opportunity to test the process at selected airport touchpoints before decisions are taken on wider deployment.
Mobile application receives interface update
Alongside the international passenger trials, Digi Yatra has introduced a redesigned version of its mobile application. The changes include an updated interface, revised navigation, a new boarding pass display and a more structured credential wallet.
The boarding pass display now features airline-mapped colours. The updated application also includes clearer indicators for guardian and minor credentials.
A redesigned consent screen is intended to explain what information is shared, with whom it is shared and for what purpose. The changes are aimed at making the app’s navigation and information easier for users to understand.
The application update is being introduced alongside the international trial, but the two initiatives address different aspects of the platform. The app changes focus on its interface and presentation of information, while the international trial will assess the use of e-passport-based credentials at airport touchpoints.
Existing domestic network to expand by 2027
Digi Yatra currently has more than 26.5 million users and has facilitated over 110 million journeys, according to the announcement. The platform operates across 39 domestic airports and serves 11 domestic airlines. Its average adoption level across airports is approximately 30%.
The application is available in 11 regional languages, with support for all 22 scheduled by 2027. The platform also plans to extend its coverage to another 25 domestic airports by the same year.
The international passenger trial is scheduled to run through December 2026, with feedback expected to inform plans for expansion in 2027. The announcement did not specify the criteria that will be used to assess the trial or confirm a date for the wider rollout.