Archive · 2 Oct 2026
India's Airport Scanners Being Refined For Mangalsutras, Janeus
India is testing new machines that check passengers at airports.
These machines can sometimes notice jewellery or items such as a mangalsutra or janeu.
Officials are changing the machines’ software so these items do not cause unnecessary alarms.
They are collecting information from trials to improve the system.
Some foreign airports already allow ordinary jewellery and medical implants without alarms.
The new scanners will not show detailed pictures of a person.
Instead, they will show a simple mannequin shape and mark only a suspicious area.
The changes are part of a wider airport-security upgrade in India.
India is refining full-body scanner algorithms so mangalsutras and janeus do not unnecessarily trigger alarms.
The scanners are being tested using data collected during ongoing trials.
Foreign airports have adapted systems to permit standard jewellery and medical implants.
The scanners will use generic mannequin silhouettes and highlight only suspicious body areas.
The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security is upgrading security as India plans to expand from 164 to 350 airports by 2047.
- Who
- The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, led by Director General Rajesh Nirwan, is overseeing the scanner changes.
- What
- India is refining full-body scanner algorithms to recognize Indian cultural items such as mangalsutras and janeus without unnecessary alarms.
- When
- The work is in progress during ongoing full-body scanner trials.
- Where
- The upgrades concern Indian airports, including eight major airports where full-body scanners were mandated.
- Why
- The changes aim to address Indian requirements, privacy concerns and the security needs of an expanding airport network.
- Agency
- Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS)
- Official quoted
- Rajesh Nirwan, BCAS Director General
- Items addressed
- Mangalsutras and janeus
- Scanner display
- Generic mannequin silhouettes showing only suspicious areas
- Current airport count
- 164 airports in India
- Planned airport count
- 350 locations by 2047
- Initial rollout
- Full-body scanners were mandated across eight major airports, but privacy concerns slowed deployment