India evaluates full-body airport scanners amid privacy and cultural concerns

India's civil aviation regulator is compiling data from full-body scanner trials at Bengaluru and Cochin airports to determine whether to expand the technology to the eight airports where its use has been mandated. The agency is tracking the number of alarms generated and working with manufacturers to adapt the scanners for Indian conditions, such as typical jewelry and clothing that can trigger alerts. The newer devices are "image agnostic," displaying only a model and pinpointing the body region where a suspicious object may be located, rather than producing a detailed image.

Bureau of Civil Aviation Security Director General Rajesh Nirwan emphasized that current algorithms, originally built for foreign markets, are being continuously refined for one outlet use. In parallel, authorities are examining the Flydubai cockpit attack that injured Indian pilot Smit Machchhar and considering any necessary security advisories.