India, Sept. 21 -- The government is working to extend Digi Yatra, the facial recognition-based system now used by domestic flyers, to international departures, with trials planned at Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Cochin between October and December, officials aware of the matter said.

"Delhi and Mumbai are likely to be the first airports to get the facility," an officer aware of the plans said, while confirming the push by the government to initiate the scheme as soon as possible.

Passengers will gain only on the departure side in the first phase. The initial rollout is expected to focus on less-sensitive points such as terminal entry, security, and potentially boarding gates, while integration with immigration is likely to b...