India’s aviation growth story is moving fast. Security modernisation must keep pace.
Across the system, there is a clear push towards digitised, higher-throughput passenger journeys, including biometric initiatives such as DigiYatra being rolled out across major airports. That direction of travel matters because screening technology, policy, infrastructure, and passenger experience are no longer separate conversations.
Even with clear intent, delivery is rarely linear. When policy, certification, economics, infrastructure, and operations have to align, momentum can stall. The direction remains the same. The question is how quickly the system can move from intent to execution.
That uncertainty should not be mistaken for a lack of intent.
Why CT screening is central to the next phase
Computed Tomography for cabin baggage screening has been part of India’s aviation security discussion for several years. Public reporting over the past year has highlighted delays and periodic reassessments around checkpoint CT deployment. That is not unusual in a system moving from intent to scale.
If you step back, a few things are clear:
- The operational case for modern screening is well understood. CT enables better image quality, more consistent decision-making, and the potential to support higher throughput without compromising security outcomes.
- The implementation path in India requires careful alignment to local operating realities. Airports vary widely in scale, layout, and passenger mix. Procurement models differ. Infrastructure constraints matter.
- Policy and technical standards need to be stated in a way that OEMs can design to, deliver to, and be held accountable to.
This is where the system can stall. Not because the destination is unclear, but because the problem statement is not yet formalised with the precision required for large-scale, standardised execution.
India’s challenge is not technology. It is clarity at system level.
In mature regulatory environments, airports and industry operate against explicit technical frameworks and performance expectations. That clarity creates accountability and speed.
In India, we are still moving towards that end-state for checkpoint CT deployment at scale. Industry coverage has consistently pointed to the same blockers:
• Timelines and delivery sequencing
• Certification pathways and testing expectations
• Price points and lifecycle cost models
• The need for clearer technical direction
My view is simple. We do not need more noise. We need a clear question.
Give us the question, and the machines will deliver the answer.
Once the Government of India sets out the final problem statement and technical requirements, the industry can respond at pace. Not with generic claims, but with certified capability, validated performance, and deployable solutions.
Where Smiths Detection fits, and why Make in India now sits at the centre
Smiths Detection is in a strong position in CT because our checkpoint CT capability is built for regulated environments. The HI-SCAN 6040 CTiX is designed to operate where compliance, evidence, and controlled change over time matter.
But in India, capability alone is not the full answer.
Localisation is becoming a strategic requirement. Not as a slogan, but as an operating model that supports long-term resilience:
- Supply chain certainty
- Service readiness
- Alignment with national industrial priorities
Make in India is no longer optional. It is part of how aviation security will be sustained at scale.
The current market realities, stated plainly
There are real constraints today, and it is better to name them than to pretend they do not exist:
- Certification pathways and testing expectations can extend lead times
- Price points and lifecycle costs remain decisive in procurement decisions
- Formal technical requirements from the regulator define what “good” looks like, and when those requirements are still evolving, the system naturally slows
None of this negates progress. It simply reflects a market that is still finding its operational footing while continuing to grow.
This phase will pass.
When CT policy lands in its final form, the market will move quickly. The right question will unlock a decisive procurement and deployment cycle.
What to do while policy finalises: four actions that matter
In periods of uncertainty, the organisations that succeed are not the ones that wait. They are the ones that continue to build credibility, readiness, and alignment.
Till then, our role is simple and critical:
- Stay close to stakeholders
- Keep the field engaged
- Reinforce our technology value
- Remain visible, credible, and constructive
This is a long game.
Closing thought
The Indian market does not need hype. It needs clarity and execution.
When the Government of India provides a clear problem statement and final technical direction for CT screening, industry will deliver. Smiths Detection is positioned to respond with proven CT capability and the operational discipline required in regulated environments.
Until then, the priority is to stay engaged, stay credible, and keep building the foundations that allow India’s aviation security system to scale with confidence.