Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced in her budget about issuing E-passports in 2022-23 to enhance convenience for citizens.

The passport jacket contains an electronic chip with important security-related data encoded on it.

At present India issues passports for citizens in printed booklets.

Earlier, Minister of External Affairs, S Jaishankar had said that the ministry has initiated discussions with the ‘India Security Press’ regarding the project for issuing chip-enabled e-passports to the citizens.

“We propose to pursue the manufacture of e-passports on priority so that a new passport booklet with advanced security features can be rolled out in the near future”, Jaishankar adds.

The External Affairs Ministry is planning to issue chip-enabled e-Passports with advanced security features to citizens. The personal particulars of the applicants would be digitally signed and stored in the chip which would be embedded in the passport booklet.

If in case, anyone damages the chip, the system shall be able to identify it, resulting in the failure of the passport authentication.

With the opinion to manufacture e-Passports, India Security Press, Nashik, has awarded the contract for procurement of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)-compliant electronic contactless inlays along with its operating system necessary for chip-enabled e-Passports.

Issuance of e-Passports will commence on the successful completion of the procurement process by ISP, claims Nashik.

The e –passport will enhance the security of passports, eliminate duplications, eliminate data damages and will be used by border control authorities for monitoring the entry and exit of passengers.

Previously, Tej Bhatla, business unit head for public sector at TCS, assigned to work with Passport Seva Programme (PSP) for Indian passports said, “we will bring in the technology (for e-passport), but you know the sovereign functions like granting or printing of the passport booklet will continue with the government.”