Digi Yatra looks to expand wings, eyes global travel

India’s Digi Yatra, a decentralised digital identity platform enabling seamless airport entry through facial recognition, is entering its next phase of growth. The focus now extends beyond domestic aviation to international travel, passport-based onboarding, and potential applications outside airport complexes.Currently operational at 38 airports, Digi Yatra continues to expand into smaller tier-3 cities, according to CEO Suresh Khadakbhavi. “Tier-1 and tier-2 airports are largely covered. We are now moving to tier-3 airports,” he said.While domestic expansion is ongoing, the platform’s next major growth driver is expected to be international travel. Digi Yatra has already conducted technical trials to test interoperability using electronic passports on routes such as Bengaluru–Doha.

The aim is to enable passengers to move seamlessly across airports using a single digital identity credential. However, these pilots excluded immigration processes, which would require separate regulatory approvals and coordination with multiple stakeholders.Khadakbhavi said the long-term vision is to align with emerging global frameworks for digital identity in travel, where credentials issued in one country can be recognised in another. “If a passenger shares their credential with a departing airport, the same could be used at the destination,” he said, noting that such interoperability will depend on global standards and bilateral agreements. Alongside this, Digi Yatra is preparing to move beyond Aadhaar-based onboarding.

While the platform currently relies on Aadhaar for identity verification, it has begun testing enrolment through electronic passports.