New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her budget speech said that the issuance of E-passports will be rolled out in 2022-23 to enhance convenience for citizens, which would include an electronic chip with vital security information encoded on it.
As a result, the chip-enabled e-Passports with additional security features will be provided to citizens from the Ministry of External Affairs, which would include applicants' personal information digitally signed and kept in a chip that would be integrated into the passport booklet.
In case the chip is tampered with, the system will be able to detect it, and this would result in the authentication of the passport failing. According to sources, Nashik-based India Security Press is in the process of awarding a contract for the production of ICAO-compliant electronic chip inlays for passport jackets.
These contactless inlays are needed for the issuance of chip-powered e-passports. The issuance of passports would begin after the procurement process would be completed.
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