India launches uniquely functional electronic passports in 13 cities to know what happens to paper
India officially launched on Tuesday in the first phase of its Next Generation Electronics-Pasport Program, combining advanced electronics technology with traditional paper passport formats to enhance identity verification and enhance the security of travel documents. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MEA), the project is in line with the Passport Seva Program (PSP) version 2.0, which was launched last April.
India launches uniquely functional electronic passports in 13 cities to know what happens to paper
India officially launched on Tuesday in the first phase of its Next Generation Electronics-Pasport Program, combining advanced electronics technology with traditional paper passport formats to enhance identity verification and enhance the security of travel documents. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MEA), the project is in line with the Passport Seva Program (PSP) version 2.0, which was launched last April.
Government launches electronic passports in 13 cities
The MEA confirmed that this is the first phase of national implementation and is expected to arrive at all passports Seva Kendras nationwide by mid-2025. E-Passports is currently being issued in several cities, including Nagpur, Bhubaneswar, Jammu, Goa, Shimla, Raipur, Raipur, Amrits, Amritsar, Jaipur, Chennai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Surat, Ranchi, Ranchi and Delhi. In particular, Tamil Nadu began issuing emails at the Chennai Regional Passport Office on March 3, 2025. By March 22, 2025, the state has issued 20,729 electronic passports.
Functions of electronic passports
These high-tech passports are clearly identifiable from ordinary passports, characterized by a golden symbol printed under the front cover. Inside, they include embedded radio frequency identification (RFID) chips and embedded antennas. The integration of public key infrastructure (PKI) is a key aspect that ensures secure storage of biometrics and personal data while verifying its accuracy and authenticity.
MEA stresses that one of the main advantages of electronic passports is their enhanced data protection capabilities. This advanced technology helps maintain the integrity of holder information, thus greatly reducing the risk of tampering or identity forgery. It also addresses the growing concern about fake passport manufacturing, which has been a challenge during international border surveillance.
While the introduction of the email office marks an important step in modernizing passports, the MEA clarified that switching to the new format is not mandatory. All existing passports issued by the Government of India will remain valid until the respective expiration date is reached.
(This story has not been edited by DNA staff and published from IANS except for the title)
