Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming aviation worldwide, and India is moving fast to catch up. According to industry estimates, India’s AI in the aviation sector is expected to grow from USD 349.3 million in 2024 to USD 1,909.9 million by 2035, at a CAGR of 16.7 per cent, driven by operational efficiency and safety improvements. Every day, 5–6 lakh passengers travel through Indian airports, highlighting the scale of AI adoption required.
Suresh Khadakbhavi, CEO of Digi Yatra Foundation, said in an interview with BW Businessworld that India’s digital infrastructure and regulatory support are positioning the country to leverage AI for smoother operations and enhanced passenger experience. “In aviation, multiple stakeholders—from airlines to security agencies—must collaborate for a single passenger’s journey,” he said. “AI will play a big role in enabling situational awareness across this network, ensuring smoother coordination and efficiency.”
Digi Yatra, India’s facial verification-based travel platform, currently operates at 24 airports and aims to expand to 41 by the end of 2025. The platform has facilitated over 75 million contactless journeys, with over 18 million app downloads, highlighting significant uptake.
Operational Complexity and AI
Airports are inherently complex ecosystems, with multiple stakeholders—including airlines, security agencies, ground handlers, and fuelers—working in coordination to ensure smooth operations. Global reports indicate that AI adoption can reduce ground delays by 6 per cent and turnaround times by 4 per cent. In India, while major hubs like Delhi are implementing real-time gate allocation systems, roughly 90 per cent of regional airports still face operational gaps that can affect punctuality and passenger experience.
Khadakbhavi noted, “When all stakeholders come together to enable one passenger’s journey, AI helps deliver service optimally. Aircraft turnaround and passenger processing require information in advance so activities are synchronised. By providing real-time situational awareness, AI allows airports to anticipate congestion, allocate resources effectively, and improve both passenger and airside operations.”
Asked about AI integration in airport operations, Khadakbhavi added, “Enabling the passenger's journey is one part of the story, which is currently happening through Digi Yatra. Passengers go through various touchpoints in a completely seamless, hassle-free way to enter the boarding gate. On the other side—aircraft landing, taxiing, and gate allocation—AI helps coordinate multiple stakeholders efficiently, ensuring activities are synchronised and operations run smoothly.”
Privacy-first Ecosystem
With over 75 million contactless journeys facilitated and more than 18 million app downloads, data security and privacy remain central to Digi Yatra’s operations. India’s aviation sector handles 5–6 lakh passengers daily, and managing personal data at this scale requires robust systems, clear operational protocols, and continuous monitoring to prevent misuse. As the platform expands across airports, balancing AI-driven efficiency with stringent privacy safeguards continues to be a key challenge, especially given the diversity of passenger profiles and technological readiness across regions.
Khadakbhavi highlighted the platform’s privacy-first approach: "We follow global W3C standards, and there is no central storage of personal data—everything stays on the user’s phone and is purged within 24 hours of flight departure." He added, “Responsible AI in aviation requires consent management, purpose-limited data usage, and robust operational protocols. With these safeguards, airports can use AI to enhance efficiency while maintaining passenger trust and safety.”
Asked about the regulatory framework, Khadakbhavi said, "Strong governance and clear regulatory protocols are essential for coordination among multiple airport stakeholders. Regulations such as the DPDP Act provide a legal framework for consent management and data use, ensuring that AI deployment across airports is responsible and aligns with passenger safety and trust."
Passenger Adoption And Accessibility
Digi Yatra is gradually being adopted across Indian airports, with an average usage of around 35 per cent, while some airports have achieved more than 60 per cent adoption. This reflects the early-stage integration of digital identity systems in a sector still reliant on legacy processes. Passenger uptake varies due to factors such as awareness, digital literacy, and availability of enrolment options, indicating room for broader adoption as the platform matures.
Globally, around 50 per cent of passengers use biometric identification at airports, with 78 per cent expressing interest in mobile-based travel credentials. In India, adoption is growing but remains lower—for example, at one major airport, usage rose from 12 per cent to 32 per cent over a few months, with the national rollout still underway.
To boost adoption among diverse passengers, "the platform now supports six regional languages, with plans to cover 22, and enrolment is being extended beyond Aadhaar to include driving licences and electronic passports," Khadakbhavi said, indicating that these changes aim to reduce friction during enrolment and verification and make the system more inclusive, encouraging broader usage across India’s varied passenger base.
Future Plans And Passenger Services
On the question of future airport offerings, Khadakbhavi highlighted that Digi Yatra will soon enable a range of services directly through the app. Passengers will be able to book porter services, request wheelchairs, or access other support services seamlessly. “Any service that you find you need at the airport, we want to enable on the Digi Yatra app,” he said, underlining the platform’s focus on convenience and personalised travel experiences.
He also spoke about the platform’s long-term vision for international interoperability. Electronic passport integration is in prototype stages, aiming to allow Digi Yatra credentials to be used for cross-border travel. “The goal is to create a borderless world where credentials issued by Digi Yatra can be used globally, ensuring secure and streamlined travel,” Khadakbhavi added, signalling a future where the platform could extend India’s AI-driven aviation ecosystem to the international stage. |
