A row over citizenship overshadowed India’s biggest passport upgrade.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has reiterated that an Indian passport is primarily a travel document and not conclusive proof of citizenship.
The clarification triggered questions over why a document accepted internationally as proof of Indian nationality is not treated as sufficient evidence of citizenship within India.
Critics also pointed out that Aadhaar, PAN and voter identity cards are likewise not regarded as definitive proof of citizenship.
The debate comes amid wider public discussions on electoral rolls, migration and identity verification, and overshadowed major updates to India’s passport system.
The MEA said it delivered nearly 1.5 crore passport-related services in 2025, including 1.39 crore passports. Many passports are now issued in around six working days, excluding police verification, while average processing time at Passport Seva Kendras has fallen below 45 minutes.
India’s passport network has expanded from 77 centres a decade ago to 545 today. The government plans to open 10 more Post Office Passport Seva Kendras this year after adding 10 last year.
The government has also issued more than 1.47 crore chip-enabled e-passports since rolling them out in May last year. The new passports include biometric and digital security features that meet international standards.
Officials said passport data is hosted on government-controlled infrastructure, while Passport Seva Programme Version 2.0 allows citizens to apply online, book appointments, track applications and access support services.
India has signed 27 mobility agreements with 25 countries covering students, researchers, professionals, business travellers and tourists. The agreements also provide a framework for tackling irregular migration.
According to the MEA, 27 countries now offer visa-free entry to Indian passport holders, up from 16 in 2019. Another 47 countries provide visas on arrival and 66 offer e-visas.
The government will also host a Human Resource Mobility Forum next week with employers and policymakers from Germany, Italy, Denmark, Japan and Russia. Officials said the upgraded eMigrate 2.0 platform has provided emigration clearance to nearly seven lakh Indian workers since October 2022.
Speaking at the Annual Regional Passport Officers’ Conference, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said, “A passport is not merely a booklet of pages. It is a powerful tool, a vital tool, of economic mobility, of international trade, I would even say of national identity.”
He added that obtaining one should be “a matter of right, not a struggle”.
The MEA said its legal position has not changed. Under the Constitution and the Citizenship Act, 1955, citizenship is determined by law, and courts generally rely on multiple records rather than a single document when deciding citizenship cases.
