In a major move aimed at improving passenger convenience and transforming India into a global aviation hub, the Ministry of Civil Aviation is planning to introduce a new system that will allow passengers travelling abroad from Delhi or Mumbai airports to complete their immigration checks at selected origin airports within the country.

The initiative is part of a larger government effort to enhance the travel experience, reduce congestion at key airports, and build seamless connectivity between domestic and international flights.

Immigration formalities at departure airports

As a part of the proposed plan, passengers flying from smaller Indian cities to international destinations will be able to complete all immigration formalities at their departure airport before they even reach Delhi or Mumbai.

Explaining the concept, Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu said while speaking to PTI that this would make transfers between domestic and international flights faster and simpler.

“For example, if a person is flying from Surat to London, he or she can come to Surat, complete the immigration process there, and then take the flight from Delhi without leaving the terminal,” Naidu said. “This will help passengers connect internationally without having to go through immigration checks again at the hub airport.”

The system aims to simplify both Domestic-to-International (D to I) and International-to-International (I to I) transfers two processes that currently involve multiple checks and often cause delays for travellers.

Delhi and Mumbai to lead

The Civil Aviation Ministry has identified Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) and Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) for the first phase of the project.

Both airports handle the highest number of international passengers in India and are expected to act as model hubs for this new seamless transfer system.

“The ministry is actively working on the policy framework for this project,” Naidu said. “Our aim is to build a complete passenger transfer ecosystem over the next two to three years.”

The minister was speaking at the inauguration of the newly refurbished Terminal 2 (T2) at Delhi’s IGI Airport, which is part of the ongoing infrastructure upgrades to improve passenger facilities and capacity.

Naidu said that achieving smooth passenger transfers between domestic and international flights is a key step toward making India a global aviation hub, a vision the government has been pursuing through large-scale airport expansion and modernization projects.

“On the ground, the real challenge is to ensure smooth transfers across all combinations Domestic to Domestic (D to D), International to Domestic (I to D), Domestic to International (D to I), and International to International (I to I),” the minister explained. “Once we address these challenges, our airports will be at par with the best in the world.”

India’s aviation sector is among the fastest-growing globally, with domestic airlines collectively ordering nearly 1,500 new aircraft to meet future travel demand. The government wants its airports to match the efficiency and connectivity standards of international hubs such as Dubai, Singapore, and Doha.

The proposed pre-clearance system will not only save time for travellers but also reduce congestion at immigration counters in Delhi and Mumbai.

Currently, international transfer passengers often have to exit one terminal and re-enter another to complete immigration, leading to long waiting times and missed connections. With the new plan, passengers will be able to move directly from their domestic gate to their international departure without any additional checks.

Officials said that the ministry is working closely with agencies including immigration, customs, and airport operators to design a secure and efficient system. The idea is to ensure that passengers undergo all required security and immigration clearances once at their point of origin and then travel through Delhi or Mumbai as if on a through-connection.

Once implemented, the system is expected to make Delhi and Mumbai more attractive as transit hubs for international travellers, similar to how Dubai and Singapore serve as global connection points.

This move will also support India’s growing aviation ecosystem by encouraging more international airlines to use Indian airports for connecting flights and reducing operational delays caused by passenger bottlenecks.

By cutting connection times and simplifying the travel process, the initiative will offer a smoother experience for both Indian and foreign passengers, making long-distance international travel through India more efficient and appealing.

Officials estimate that the integrated transfer model could be fully operational within the next two to three years, marking a major step toward India’s goal of becoming one of the world’s top aviation hubs.

As Minister Naidu summed up, “Our mission is to make travel through India seamless from smaller cities to international destinations and to make Indian airports the preferred choice for global travellers.”