Government begins Digi Yatra trials at 7 airports for international passengers with e-passports
GS3Economy · S&T · Environment · Security· IT, AI, semiconductors & computing· Prelims·
Digital identity and NFC technology in aviation: a GS3 Science & Technology and e-Governance case study.
Why in news
The government initiated trials of the Digi Yatra digital passenger verification facility at seven airports for international passengers with e-passports to assess experience before a 2027 rollout.
Background
The trials run through November and December at Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Cochin, and Amritsar airports. Eligible Indian nationals on Air India and IndiGo flights can use the service by creating a Verifiable Credential via a mobile application.
Facts for Prelims
- FactDigi Yatra has facilitated over 110 million journeys across 39 domestic airports.
- S&TThe system requires scanning the passport's Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) and reading the embedded chip using Near Field Communication (NFC).
- FactThe government plans to extend Digi Yatra to another 25 domestic airports by 2027.
- FactThe trial covers seven airports: Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Cochin, and Amritsar.
Prelims practice question
Which technology is used by the Digi Yatra system to read the embedded chip of a passport?
- (a)Near Field Communication (NFC)
- (b)Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
- (c)Bluetooth Low Energy
- (d)Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
Show answer
Answer: (a) Near Field Communication (NFC) — The system requires reading the embedded chip using Near Field Communication (NFC) technology.
For Mains
Q. Discuss how the implementation of digital identity frameworks like Digi Yatra can enhance aviation security while ensuring data privacy for passengers.
Dimensions to cover in your answer
- Data Privacy: Balancing seamless passenger flow with the security of biometric and NFC-based personal data.
- Infrastructure Gap: Dependency on smartphone NFC capabilities and airport-specific hardware for consistent service delivery.
Keywords: Digital Identity · Verifiable Credentials · NFC Technology · Aviation Security · e-Governance
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This note is generated automatically from SatyaDheesh's news feed and mapped to the UPSC CSE syllabus. Check facts against the original report or PIB before using them in an answer.