To improve surveillance, airlines asked to share PNR details with Customs

National Customs Targeting Centre-Passenger has been established by CBIC to process PNR info for risk analysis of passengers

The Centre has mandated airlines to share with the Customs department records of passengers, who are travelling on international flights to and from India, from August 8. The move, aimed at conducting “risk-analysis” of passengers for improving surveillance, would help the department track and prevent increased cases of smuggling.

In a notification issued on Monday, the nodal authority of the Customs department — the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) — said, “Every aircraft operator is now required to provide PNR details to National Customs Targeting Centre-Passenger (NCTC-P). This would be not later than 24 hours before the departure time,” CBIC said.

This passenger name record information will include details like PNR, date of reservation and issue of ticket as well as frequent flyer and benefit information (like free tickets, upgrades). It would also contain all available payment or billing information (like credit card number), travel itinerary and the travel agency, CBIC elaborated in the notification.

It further said NCTC-P has been established to receive and process PNR information for risk analysis of passengers. It is for the prevention, investigation, detection and prosecution of various offences under the Customs Act.

“It is also for the law enforcement agencies and government departments, as required, in India and abroad,” it noted.

While the government had proposed this requirement in the Union Budget of 2017, a formal process for communication of passenger data has been introduced only now after the notification was issued on Monday.

Currently, airlines are required to share passenger information in advance with the immigration authorities. However, that is limited to the passenger’s name, nationality and passport details, among others.

With this, India joins 60 other countries that collect PNR details of international passengers.

Sources say that a spike in smuggling, especially of gold, has prompted the move.

The Custom department has been witnessing a surge in smuggling, following the import duty hike on gold to 12.5 per cent from 7.5 per cent. 

In fact, gold smuggling through airports in the country continues unabated. It seized a total 2,774 kg of the yellow metal worth Rs 983.12 crore in the last six years.

Of the total quantity of gold intercepted, 585.79 kg worth Rs 263.33 crore was seized in 2021-22 (675 cases). Around 403.11 kg of gold worth Rs 184.13 crore was seized in 652 cases in the previous year. 

The CBIC, however, clarified that the passenger information collected by the Customs will be subject to strict information privacy and protection, in accordance with the applicable law.

The PNR details will be retained for a maximum of five years, it said.

The government will also carry out systems and security audits annually to prevent any misuse of PNR information by senior officials.

Meanwhile, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said this new legal framework for passenger data will address concerns of international airlines.

“We expect the notification to be followed by specific guidelines for implementation by the CBIC. Importantly, the roll out should now bring an end to the non-standard passenger data requests by multiple agencies at various airports,” said Amitabh Khosla, country director, IATA.

In March, for instance, IATA had complained to the civil aviation ministry about “non-standard requests” for passenger data by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence.

“While strict privacy guidelines have been stipulated under the regulations, the government should ensure that they are duly enforced to prevent unauthorised usage,” said Abhishek Jain, partner, indirect tax, KPMG India.

“The PNR regulations would be an effective tool in curbing cross-border crimes. The regulations would further help in curbing illegal activities,” said Tanushree Roy, director, indirect tax, Nangia Andersen India.

Stepping up vigil 

• India joins over 60 countries that collect PNR data from airlines
• Move to help track and prevent instances of smuggling 
• Government to carry out systems and security audits to prevent misuse of collected information 
• IATA welcomed the setting up of legal framework, sought specific guidelines for the implementation
• Airlines complained of “non standard” passenger data requests from multiple agencies at airports