What is e-passport that India will roll out soon for safe and easy international travel?

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar Friday said that the Central government is working to roll out e-Passports to make easier international travel and enable protection against identity theft and greater data security.

Reaffirming the government`s commitment to improving citizen experience and public delivery, Jaishankar delivered a message on the occasion of the Passport Seva Divas.

Recognizing the need to continually improve the quality of passport services, the Passport Seva Programme (PSP) will be embarking on PSP V2.0, an improved and upgraded version of P SP V1.0, which would ensure a digital ecosystem among all stakeholders and offer enhanced passport services to citizens.

"It would ensure smooth governance end-to-end through standardized and liberalized processes, use of latest and emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Chat-Bot, Use of Big-Data, Advance Analytics etc. The Ministry is also working to roll out e-passports for Indian citizens which would make easier international travel and enable protection against identity theft and greater data security," he said in conclusion.

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What is an e-passport?

An e-passport will have the same functions as a physical passport but it will be more secure than a traditional passport as it would contain an electronic chip that will carry the same information as the printed passport.

The chip used inside the passport will store all crucial details of the passport holder including name, date of birth, address, and other things. This chip will enable officials to verify a traveller's details quickly. 

The concept of a chip-based e-passport isn't new. More than 100 countries already offer e-passports.

Countries including Ireland, Zimbabwe, Malawai, India's neighbours Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, among others have rolled out e-passports, states data issued by the International Civil Aviation Organization.