DigiYatra, the government-backed paperless boarding system using facial recognition, has crossed 16 million registered users and enabled over 67 million journeys since its launch in 2022. Currently operational at 15 airports, Suresh Khadakbhavi, CEO of DigiYatra Foundation, outlined the progress and roadmap at PRana 2025: India RISE Story, an event organised by the Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI). “DigiYatra doesn’t know its customers, but it understands their needs,” he said, adding that passengers retain ownership of their data through secure wallets, with validation done using decentralised protocols.
The system, which began at three airports, has been positioned as a way to speed up passenger processing, reduce queues and improve security through digital ID verification. It uses World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standards, blockchain-based distributed ledger technology and self-sovereign identity models, with verifiable credentials checked by airports, airlines and regulators.
Border Control and Immigration Roadmap
Looking ahead, DigiYatra is preparing for a broader role beyond airports. By 2025–26, the roadmap includes e-passport based enrolment and end-to-end automated border control for immigration. It is working with international aviation and regulatory bodies such as IATA, ICAO, the ministry of external affairs and the ministry of home affairs to align standards.
Expanding Into Hotels and Public Spaces
Expansion is also planned into hotels and public places, where DigiYatra verifiable credentials could be used for check-ins and access, reducing the need for repeated presentation of physical identity documents. To reinforce privacy, the system will incorporate fully homomorphic encryption, which allows data to be processed without being exposed.