India has begun trials of Digi Yatra for international passengers at seven airports, allowing eligible Indian passport holders to use facial recognition at selected airport checkpoints. The facility is currently limited to Indian nationals with e-passports travelling on selected international flights operated by Air India and IndiGo. The Civil Aviation Ministry announced the trials on 1 November, with testing scheduled through December 2026. A wider rollout is expected in 2027 after the ministry assesses passenger feedback gathered during the trial period, according to PTI. The system is intended to simplify movement through designated terminal entry points, security hold areas and boarding gates where the required infrastructure is available. The participating airports are Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad, Cochin International Airport in Kochi, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, Chennai International Airport and Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar. Access is restricted to selected international flights, so the facility is not available to every passenger departing from these airports. Passengers must create an e-passport-based Verifiable Credential through the Digi Yatra mobile application before travelling. The registration process requires scanning the passport’s Machine Readable Zone, using a Near Field Communication-enabled smartphone to read the electronic chip, capturing a selfie and verifying the details. The completed credential is stored in the passenger’s Digi Yatra wallet and can be used at eligible airport touchpoints. Digi Yatra does not replace passports, boarding passes, airline document checks or mandatory immigration procedures. Foreign nationals and Indian travellers without e-passports are excluded from the current trials. The platform has more than 26.5 mn users and has facilitated over 110 mn passenger journeys across 39 domestic airports, while another 25 airports are planned for inclusion by 2027. The international trials will help assess the technology in a travel environment involving additional regulatory checks.