SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure | SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals | SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
Institutions: Ministry of Civil Aviation | Ministry of Home Affairs | Ministry of External Affairs
The International Civil Aviation Organizationβs (ICAO) TRIP 2025 Symposium convened governments to accelerate the implementation of trusted identity technology as a new global baseline for secure, convenient, and inclusive travel. This strategic focus addresses the monumental challenge posed by projected growth, as global passenger traffic is forecast to triple within the next 25 years, growing from 4.6 billion passengers in 2025 to 12.4 billion annually by 2050.
Current Baseline: Already, 165 ICAO Member States have issued more than a billion electronic machine-readable travel documents (ePassports). These documents can be validated instantly and worldwide through the ICAO Public Key Directory.
Digital Advancement: Progress is accelerating with automation, interoperability, and robust data exchange becoming foundational elements of border management. New ICAO Digital Travel Credentials (DTC) and barcode specifications are expanding access to seamless and contactless journeys.
Inclusion Goal: A central objective is to eliminate the digital divide and ensure accessibility for all travellers and inclusivity of all Member States, including those with limited infrastructure.
Policy Relevance and Strategic Path Forward
The ICAO directive is critical because the secure and inclusive identity management framework is key to achieving the ICAO Strategic Plan for 2050, which envisions air transport for everyone, everywhere, with zero fatalities and net zero carbon emissions.
Capacity Imperative: The projected tripling of global passenger traffic mandates that all Member States, including India, must adopt these advanced standards and best practices to ensure the global flight network has the capacity to process the growing number of passengers securely and efficiently.
Security and Standardization: Implementing the ICAO Public Key Directory and the new DTC standards is the mechanism to increase security and convenience by enabling governments to confirm the authenticity of travel documents instantly.
Global Equity: The policies ensure that the most advanced identity management solutions are implemented universally, which is key to accelerating progress towards zero fatalities and net-zero carbon emissions in air transport.
What are ICAO Digital Travel Credentials (DTC)?β Digital Travel Credentials (DTC) are a new ICAO standard that, along with barcode specifications, expands access to seamless and contactless journeys. These digital credentials provide solutions for all countries, including those with limited infrastructure, and are essential to ensuring that the global flight network has the capacity to process growing numbers of passengers while increasing the security and convenience of their trips.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: As global passenger traffic is projected to triple by 2050, how will the Ministry of Civil Aviation ensure that Indiaβs major airports rapidly transition to the new ICAO Digital Travel Credentials standard to avoid paralyzing bottlenecks and security risks?
Follow the full update here: Governments advancing new global baseline for secure, convenient and inclusive travel