NEW DELHI: The Centre on Monday refuted reports claiming that passenger data from the Digi Yatra application was being used to crack down on tax evaders, stating that the claims were “unfounded and inaccurate”.
The civil aviation ministry issued a clarification stating there is no sharing of Digi Yatra passenger data with Indian tax authorities.
It further said that airport systems automatically purge passenger data within 24 hours of the flight’s departure.
In a post on X, the ministry said: “The Ministry of Civil Aviation hereby clarifies that the recent media report concerning Digi Yatra is based on unfounded and inaccurate claims. There is no sharing of Digi Yatra passengers data with Indian tax authorities.”
“The Digi Yatra app follows the Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) model, where Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and travel credentials are stored exclusively on the user’s device, not on any central repository. Furthermore, if a user uninstalls the Digi Yatra app, the data is deleted entirely. Additionally, airport systems automatically purge passenger data within 24 hours of the flight’s departure. It is also important to note that Digi Yatra is designed solely for domestic passengers and does not apply to international travelers,” the ministry added.
Earlier a report came claiming that Income Tax department is leveraging passenger data collected via the DigiYatra app to identify potential tax evaders.
What Digi Yatra CEO said?
Digi Yatra CEO Suresh Khadakbhavi called the claims “unfounded” and clarified that Digi Yatra operates without storing any Personally Identifiable Information (PII) in any central repository. This ensures there is no database to breach, share, lose, or leak, safeguarding user privacy.
He also said that the claim that “financial records of frequent international travelers could be subjected to scrutiny” is “incorrect” and added that the Digi Yatra is not yet available for international travel.
“Digi Yatra’s Privacy-Preserving ecosystem aligns with the Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) framework, ensuring unmatched data security, privacy and global scalability. Such baseless articles overshadow the achievements of Digi Yatra, which has revolutionized air travel in India. In 2024, Digi Yatra crossed 9 million active users, with a daily average of 30,000 app downloads and over 42 million seamless passenger journeys facilitated. This demonstrates the growing trust in Digi Yatra’s cutting-edge technology,” he said in a LinkedIn post.
“We remain committed to providing seamless air travel and serving citizens with dedication and sincerity,” he said.
The finance ministry also issued clarification and said that as on date there is no such move by the Income Tax department.
