India’s New Travel Rule to Impact UAE Passengers Explained

India’s New Passenger Data Regulation to Impact UAE Travelers from April 2025

Airlines that operate international flights to and from India will have to provide the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), India’s customs officials, with comprehensive passenger information starting on April 1, 2025. All travelers, including those from the United Arab Emirates, as well as transit passengers, will be impacted by this new rule, which attempts to enhance border security and risk analysis for international travel.

What Information Will Be Shared?

Airlines will need to submit passenger data 24 hours before the scheduled departure. The required information includes:

• Personal details: Passenger’s name, contact information, ticket issuance date, and travel itinerary.
• Payment information: Billing details like credit card number.
• Additional details: Travel agency info, baggage information, and codeshare data (if applicable).

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Airlines that fail to comply will face penalties ranging from INR 25,000 (Dh1,070) to INR 50,000 (Dh2,140) per non-compliance instance.

Why the Regulation?

This regulation strengthens India’s ability to assess risks and enhance border security by obtaining passenger information before departure. It also allows authorities to track and analyze travel patterns to prevent security threats.

Implementation Timeline

• Pilot phase: Begins February 10, 2025, with select airlines.
• Full-scale operation: Starts April 1, 2025, for individual airlines and June 1, 2025, for airlines using GDS.

Data Security and Privacy

The regulation includes strong measures to protect passenger data. Sensitive information such as race, religion and health will not be processed, and the data will be securely stored for up to five years. After that, it will be anonymized unless required for legal or security reasons.

Impact on UAE passengers

For UAE passengers, airlines will share their travel details with Indian authorities. However, privacy measures ensure that sensitive data is protected. While this process may slightly impact travel efficiency, it is designed to improve safety and security.

India’s new data sharing regulation will ensure that passenger details are shared with Indian customs authorities from April 2025 to improve border security. UAE passengers will be affected, but there are privacy safeguards in place to ensure their data is handled securely.