The Government of India has initiated a significant modernisation of its travel documentation system with the introduction of the chip-based electronic passport, or e-passport. This move, part of the government’s Passport Seva Programme 2.0, began in April 2024 and is already rolling out in select cities.
This move places India among more than 120 nations that have adopted this International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)-compliant technology. The idea is to offer enhanced security, faster immigration processing and seamless global travel.
But behind the glossy pitch of digital convenience – and a gold chip symbol below the national symbol – lies a bigger concern: privacy without protection and innovation without oversight.
What’s on the chip?
Each e-passport is equipped with a radio-frequency identification (RFID) chip embedded in the back cover. This chip securely stores biometric information such as facial data and fingerprints, and personal details, all encrypted with advanced security protocols like Basic Access Control (BAC; which restricts chip access to authorised scanning devices) and Extended Access Control (EAC; which adds an extra security layer for sensitive biometric information).
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