India Launches Passport Seva 2.0

By Sulagna Halder 

New Delhi, June 25, 2025:

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday announced the nationwide rollout of e-Passports and launched the Passport Seva Programme 2.0, a historic step towards modernizing India's passport system. 

The announcement, which was made in conjunction with the 13th Passport Seva Divas, represents a major advancement in India's infrastructure for travel documentation and digital governance. India's passport delivery services will see significant technological advancements thanks to the Passport Seva Programme 2.0. It presents a completely digital ecosystem that includes cloud computing, biometric security, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.

By expanding the "apply from anywhere" initiative, integrating DigiLocker, and improving mobile app services, the program also aims to improve the user experience. "This new version will deliver services that are efficient, secure, and accessible," Jaishankar stated, outlining the new program's vision. The goal of Passport Seva 2.0 is to revolutionize the citizen experience by fusing administrative effectiveness with digital innovation. The introduction of e-Passports was one of the event's main highlights. 

Faster immigration checks and improved data protection are made possible by the secure RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) chip embedded in these next generation passports, which stores the holder's biometric and personal information. The chips facilitate contactless data transfer and adhere to ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) standards.

The e-Passports, which were first issued in 13 pilot cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Goa, Hyderabad, Amritsar, and Ranchi, will soon be issued nationwide. All new applications for official, diplomatic, and ordinary passports will be handled electronically. As part of the "Make in India" campaign, the passports are being produced at the India Security Press in Nashik. India issued more than 1.46 crore passports in 2024–2025, up sharply from about 91 lakh in 2014, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. 

More than 440 Passport Seva Kendras nationwide and the robust police verification systems, which currently finish checks in more than two dozen states and Union Territories in 5 to 7 days, have helped to support this growth.

Industry professionals and security experts applauded the development. "India has advanced significantly with the introduction of e-Passports. It improves speed and safety while adhering to international travel standards, according to Bengaluru based digital security analyst Vinay Prasad. 

India wants to usher in a new era of digital first public service by offering its citizens a quicker, safer, and internationally recognized passport system with the introduction of Passport Seva 2.0 and the countrywide e-Passport rollout.