# DigiYatra trials for international departures to begin in October

2026-09-21T16:31:41+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 2 independent outlets

The government is set to trial DigiYatra for international flyers departing from India, with live passenger tests expected to begin in October or November, sources told Times Now. The Times Now report says the trial will start at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport, involving Air India and IndiGo passengers, with a full rollout planned for March 2027. Livemint reports that the initial phase will focus on departing passengers at Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Cochin airports, covering terminal entry, security and boarding gates, while immigration integration will follow later. The international version will use e-passports instead of Aadhaar, scanning the chip via NFC to verify identity. Livemint notes that India has issued over 17.3 million e-passports. A security audit by MeitY and CERT-In is pending after the trials. Times Now adds that discussions with the Ministry of External Affairs for paper passport enrolment are underway, and final approval from the Bureau of Immigration is awaited.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

Both sources report the same basic facts: DigiYatra trials for international departures start in late 2025, use e-passports, and need security certification. Livemint's coverage is broader, naming five airports and citing parliamentary figures on e-passport issuance, giving it a straight-forward, informational tone. Times Now is more detail-oriented about the rollout timeline (March 2027) and the airline partners, sourced directly to its own officials. Neither outlet is critical, both treat the expansion as procedural news. The main difference is emphasis: Livemint focuses on passenger process, Times Now on certification steps. The Bureau of Immigration's pending approval is the concrete next milestone.

## Coverage

- livemint.com (neutral report) <https://www.livemint.com/news/india/flying-abroad-digiyatra-trials-for-international-departures-may-soon-begin-at-delhi-mumbai-bengaluru-airports-11789993374430.html>
  Straight news reporting on the trial plan, with process details and official data
- timesnownews.com (neutral report) <https://www.timesnownews.com/india/digiyatra-trials-for-international-travellers-likely-from-october-november-rollout-planned-in-march-article-156198123>
  Straight news reporting focused on trial timeline and security certification steps

Tags: Bengaluru, Bureau of Immigration, CERT-In, DigiYatra, MeitY, Ministry of Civil Aviation
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