The Ministry of Civil Aviation has clarified that passenger data collected through Digi Yatra is not shared with Indian tax authorities. The statement came after the Income Tax (I-T) Department dismissed rumors that Digi Yatra data would be used to track tax evasion.

What is Digi Yatra

Digi Yatra is a contactless, seamless travel service to the passengers at airports by using facial recognition technology, which verifies the identity of the passengers digitally and brings smoother movement through the checkpoints.

Passengers who wish to avail of this service must first register for it on the Digi Yatra app by following Aadhaar-based verification process along with a self-uploaded photo. After the boarding pass is scanned, the credentials are sent over to the airport for the intended checks.

How is passenger data handled

Addressing concerns, the aviation ministry emphasized the robust privacy measures in place for Digi Yatra users.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the ministry explained:

Digi Yatra follows the Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) model, ensuring that Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and travel credentials are stored only on the user’s device, not on a central database.

Data is fully erased if a user uninstalls the app.

Airport systems automatically erase passenger data after 24 hours of a flight's takeoff.

What about tax authorities

The I-T department had also dismissed earlier in the day the rumors that it was using Digi Yatra data for tax enforcement. It posted on X, "As on date, there is no such move by the @IncomeTaxIndia department."

Who manages Digi Yatra

Digi Yatra is managed by the Digi Yatra Foundation, a joint venture of the major airport operators in India. Its shareholders are as follows:

Airport Authority of India (AAI)

Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL)

Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL)

Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL)

Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (HIAL)

Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL)

With Digi Yatra offering end-to-end encrypted data and no central repository of data, the system guarantees a balance between convenience and privacy.