No bottled water from vending machines either; passenger cites suspicion of ‘diamond smuggling’ as the reason, no official confirmation yet- but gold has previously been smuggled in water bottles
M. Riyaz Hashmi | New Delhi
Passengers Struggle to Find Drinking Water Inside International Departure
Passengers at the International Departure area of Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) faced a difficult situation on Saturday morning as they struggled to get drinking water. Passengers were reportedly not allowed to carry water bottles from outside, while bottled water was also reportedly unavailable inside. A passenger sent a video of the situation to Tehelka. The video shows a vending machine failing to dispense a bottle of water. According to the passenger, the situation led to commotion among passengers in the morning.
Passenger Cites ‘Diamond Smuggling’ Suspicion, No Official Confirmation
The passenger said he was told at the airport that after diamonds were allegedly found being smuggled through a water bottle in recent days, bottled water had been removed from lounges and its sale through vending machines had also been stopped. However, no official agency has so far confirmed either the alleged diamond-smuggling incident or that water availability was stopped because of it. The exact location and terminal number shown in the video could also not be independently verified at the time of publication.
But Gold Has Indeed Been Found Hidden in Water Bottles
There have, however, been confirmed cases of gold being concealed inside water bottles.
On May 13, 2026, Customs officials at Terminal 3 of IGI seized a total of 350.5 grams of gold from two passengers. The gold had been hidden inside specially modified water bottles, in which a false bottom had been created and coated to resemble silver.
Earlier, in October 2025, gold hidden inside the cap of a passenger’s water bottle was also recovered. These cases show that smugglers have used ordinary-looking objects to create hidden compartments for concealing contraband.
What Are the Rules on Carrying Water Bottles Through Security?
Under airport security rules, passengers are generally not allowed to carry liquids in containers larger than 100 ml in their hand baggage. Therefore, a filled water bottle brought from outside may not be allowed through the security checkpoint. This is not a new rule.
However, the availability of drinking water for passengers inside the International Departure area after security screening is a separate issue. Therefore, if bottled water or water dispensers are unavailable in a particular area, it cannot automatically be attributed to liquid security rules.
Security Directive or Maintenance Issue?
According to sources, one possibility is that the disruption in water availability could be linked to a temporary security-related instruction. Security agencies can modify screening procedures and airport protocols in response to new smuggling methods or specific security inputs.
Another possibility is maintenance or a technical fault affecting water dispensers or vending machines. So far, neither explanation has been officially confirmed.
Tehelka Awaits Responses From DIAL, CISF and BCAS
In connection with the issue, Tehelka has emailed Delhi airport operator DIAL, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), seeking clarification on whether any new instruction has been issued regarding the sale or availability of bottled water; whether it is linked to recent smuggling cases; and what alternative drinking-water arrangements are available for passengers in the International Departure area.
No response had been received from these agencies at the time of publication. The story will be updated as soon as their responses are received.
Official Answer Still Awaited
For now, the available facts establish that cases of gold being concealed and smuggled in water bottles are real. But why are the water dispensers, taps, and vending machines at IGI’s International Departure seemingly ‘dry’? An official answer to that question is still awaited.
