The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has officially clarified that an Indian passport is primarily a travel document issued to regulate the departure of citizens from the country. During a weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that the issuance of passports is governed by the Passports Act, 1967, and the Passports Rules, 1980. This statement was provided to address ongoing public and political discussions regarding whether a passport serves as definitive proof of citizenship.
According to the ministry, the document is issued only after a rigorous verification process. The clarification follows earlier remarks made by government officials during a Passport Seva Divas briefing in June, which suggested that while passports are issued to citizens, they are not intended to function as standalone evidence of citizenship. The government also noted that fewer than 8% of the total Indian population currently holds a passport.
The debate gained traction after questions were raised about whether passports could be used as valid proof of citizenship during the Election Commission's ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. While the government maintains that the passport's legal role is to facilitate international travel and regulate departure, it remains one of several documents often used in various administrative contexts. The ministry's latest comments aim to distinguish between the document's functional use for travel and its legal status regarding citizenship.