Beginning on April 1, 2025, airlines are required by the Indian government to provide Indian Customs authorities with comprehensive information about overseas travelers. Enhancing international passengers’ risk analysis is the goal of this action. If airlines disregard this regulation, they would be subject to fines.
As part of this plan, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) announced that air transport companies operating flights in India will have to register with the National Customs Targeting Centre-Passenger (NCTC-Pax) by January 10, 2025. The new rules require that airlines provide Customs officials with important passenger information, such as cellphone numbers, payment methods, and travel schedules, at least 24 hours prior to the planned departure of international flights.
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This requirement for airlines to share Passenger Name Records (PNR) of foreign travellers was initially notified by the CBIC on August 8, 2022. The government’s goal is to strengthen its passenger risk assessment capabilities, enabling better monitoring of international travellers.
To implement this, the CBIC will introduce the PNRGOV system, which will collect the necessary passenger data. A pilot phase for the system is expected to launch by February 10, 2025, with full-scale operations planned for April 1, 2025, for individual airlines. Airlines using Global Distribution Systems (GDS) will begin participation by June 1, 2025.
According to the ‘Passenger Name Record Information Regulations, 2022,’ airlines will be required to provide a wide range of passenger details, including the passenger’s name, billing information such as credit card numbers, ticket issue dates, and travel itineraries for both inbound and outbound international flights. This system aims to improve security and streamline customs procedures, making air travel more efficient while enhancing the ability to track and assess potential risks.
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The government hopes to improve the country’s capacity to handle customs procedures and better control the flow of foreign passengers by mandating these early data submissions. The consequences for non-compliance emphasize how important it is to follow the new system, making sure that airlines fulfill these important standards and timeframes.
