Security upgrade in e-passport rollout

WITH the nationwide rollout of e-passports, a major technological upgrade designed to enhance security and streamline global mobility is on the cards for Indian passport holders.

- JAYANTH JACOB @ New Delhi

Introduced under the Passport Seva Programme (PSP) Version 2.0), the initiative represents one of the most ambitious e-governance projects undertaken in the country, which integrates cutting-edge digital tools into the travel documentation system.

At the core of the e-passport is a contactless RFID microchip embedded in the back cover, accompanied by a small antenna. This chip securely stores a traveller’s personal details, demographic information, and facial biometric data, all of which are protected by Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) digital signatures. These cryptographic protections make the document more resistant to tampering, forgery, impersonation, and duplication—which have remained the longstanding vulnerabilities in travel documentation security.