The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has clarified that an Indian passport is primarily a travel document issued to regulate the departure of citizens and is not intended as proof of citizenship. This statement comes amidst a debate on its use for verifying citizenship, particularly concerning electoral rolls, and has drawn criticism from opposition parties.
Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Umer Harris, also known as 'Khargosh', is believed to be in Saudi Arabia after escaping India using a forged passport. An investigation into the inter-state LeT terror module has exposed systemic loopholes and raised concerns about passport issuance processes.
Gangster Chota Rajan has been sentenced to seven years' imprisonment by a special CBI court in Chennai for obtaining a passport using forged documents. The conviction follows a 22-year legal battle, with Rajan having assumed the identity of Vijaya Kadam.
Gandhi's 1931 passport for his travel to London was issued in Bombay. It was the last time the Mahatma travelled abroad.
The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reported on Tuesday morning that 'Philippine immigration authorities said the father and son accused of killing 15 people in Sydney visited the country last month and travelled on Indian passports.'
Telangana Intelligence sources reveal that Sajid Akram, a suspect in the Bondi Beach mass shooting and native of Hyderabad, renewed his Indian passport in 2022. Investigations reveal his family's shock and previous visits to India.
An Afghan national has been arrested at Goa International Airport for allegedly travelling on fraudulently obtained passports while impersonating an Indian citizen.
Amid the passport row, Shashi Tharoor has proposed legal changes to simplify proof of Indian citizenship.
Indian immigration authorities are eliminating the mandatory physical stamping of boarding passes for international travellers from September 1, allowing e-boarding passes on smartphones for clearance. This move by the Bureau of Immigration aims to reduce passenger inconvenience and errors, with physical passes still accepted but not stamped. A pilot project for digital immigration entry/exit for Indian passport holders is also underway.
The Bombay High Court has identified a worrying trend of foreign nationals infiltrating India, fraudulently acquiring documents like Aadhaar and PAN cards to claim Indian citizenship. The court highlighted serious gaps in inter-agency coordination and document verification, noting that some individuals have engaged in anti-national activities. It urged the Centre to amend the Aadhaar Act to facilitate tracing and deportation, and to establish procedures for dealing with human trafficking and border infiltration. The ruling came during a case involving an Afghan national who overstayed his visa and obtained fake documents to secure an Indian passport.
Government sources have clarified that a passport has never been considered proof of citizenship in India, a stance consistent for the past 12 years and rooted in the Passport Act 1967. This clarification, reiterated by the Ministry of External Affairs, has drawn criticism from opposition leaders and public figures.
For 17 years, Mani Bhavan was Gandhi's Bombay home and nerve centre of the freedom movement.
Former Indian cricketer Jacob Martin has been acquitted of all charges by the Patiala House Court in a 22-year-old criminal case involving allegations of forgery and passport act violations, bringing him significant relief after years of stress.
Eligible and selected students will receive a stipend of 20,400 per annum, course fee and other costs.
When contacted, Punjab Chief Electoral Officer Anindita Mitra said Suri's name was never removed from the electoral roll as his name is part of the draft electoral roll published on August 13.
Authorities in New Delhi have demolished structures outside the Pakistan high commission, citing a breach of approved boundaries, in a move that mirrors Pakistan's recent removal of barricades outside the Indian high commission in Islamabad.
Mumbai-based TCR Engineering Services has become the first independent company in India to receive Nadcap accreditation for materials testing at its Navi Mumbai and Vadodara laboratories, a crucial step for Indian suppliers to enter the global aerospace supply chain.
AFC Executive Committee member Shaji Prabhakaran advocates for a balanced, long-term strategy for integrating OCI and PIO players into Indian football, stressing it's not a complete solution but a part of broader development. He also analyses recent World Cup semifinals, highlighting Spain's tactical dominance and Argentina's fighting spirit.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a new target of creating six crore 'Lakhpati Didis' to empower women and transform the rural economy. He highlighted the success of the existing initiative and the growing contribution of women in various sectors, from defence to technology.
A court in Mumbai sentenced a Bangladeshi national to seven months in jail for illegally entering India and working abroad with forged documents, highlighting concerns about national security.
Despite a population of 1.45 billion, India's football team is ranked a lowly 138th in the world and failed to qualify for next year's Asian Cup, highlighting deep-rooted systemic issues and a failure to implement reforms that keep the World Cup dream distant for fans.
A clarification by the ministry of external affairs that the passport is not a proof of citizenship has once again brought to the fore the need for a legal framework to provide citizens with a single document to establish they are Indians.
Families don't really break apart in a single moment, they just quietly stop fitting under one roof, notes Binu Alex.
A special NIA court in Ahmedabad has sentenced six Pakistani nationals to eight years of rigorous imprisonment for their involvement in the 2019 mid-sea seizure of 330 kg of 'brown heroin' off Gujarat's Jakhau coast. An Indian man, allegedly the intended recipient, was acquitted due to benefit of doubt. The National Investigation Agency had probed the case, alleging funds from the smuggling were intended for a terror organisation.
The Bombay High Court has convicted former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal for the sexual assault of a junior colleague in 2013, overturning his 2021 acquittal by a trial court.
'He wanted to know what products I'd brought along, so I showed him jackfruit flour, which research has linked to managing type 2 diabetes.' 'Then jackfruit seed flour, a strong source of protein that rural households have eaten for generations without it ever becoming a commercial product. I gave him ripe jackfruit chips too.'
Police in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, have arrested a Bangladeshi woman for allegedly residing illegally in India using counterfeit documents. An Indian man has also been detained for providing her with shelter and assisting her in obtaining the fake documents.
An Arunachal Pradesh woman was allegedly detained at Shanghai airport for nearly 18 hours after Chinese immigration officials refused to recognise her Indian passport, claiming Arunachal Pradesh is part of China.
The owner of the Malviya Nagar hotel, Lavkesh Bajaj, where a recent fire killed 21 people, was previously arrested for allegedly facilitating the illegal stay of Bangladesh nationals by helping them procure fraudulent Indian identity documents. Bajaj is currently in police custody as investigators probe the circumstances of the deadly blaze and search for other individuals linked to the hotel's management.
Samsung Electronics has launched its new Galaxy Z8 series, featuring the Z Fold8 Ultra, Z Fold8, and Z Flip8. These foldable smartphones are thinner, lighter, and boast larger displays, AI capabilities, and enhanced durability through new Flex Titanium technology. Indian customers can pre-order the devices soon.
Henley Passport Index 2026 has once again ranked Singapore as the passport offering its people access to the most countries and therefore near-seamless travel accross the planet.
Bangladesh summoned India's Deputy High Commissioner to convey "deep disappointment" after Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman, an adviser to the Prime Minister, was stopped and questioned by immigration authorities at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. The incident led to Rahman's decision to return home despite being cleared to proceed.
The failure of the State when it directly affects our lives, through a corrupt exam system, has produced this current anger, points out Aakar Patel.
A Delhi court has discharged a woman accused of using forged documents to apply for her son's passport, cautioning against the misuse of criminal charges in matrimonial disputes. The court found that the prosecution failed to provide sufficient evidence to support the charges of forgery and cheating.
Iran has suspended its visa waiver program for ordinary Indian passport holders due to incidents of Indians being lured to the country with false promises of employment or transit to other countries. The MEA advises Indian nationals to be vigilant.
The Election Commission has ordered an investigation into allegations that foreign nationals fraudulently voted in the Tamil Nadu Assembly election. The probe was initiated after police arrested ten foreign nationals with indelible ink on their fingers at Chennai and Madurai airports.
The CBI has raided multiple locations across India, arresting one person in Lucknow, as part of an investigation into the trafficking of Indian nationals to Southeast Asian countries for forced cyber fraud operations.
The United States has accepted all Indian passports, including ones issued for 20 years, dismissing media reports to the contrary.
Ireland produced one of the biggest wins in their T20I history, edging India by just one run in a thrilling second T20I in Belfast to complete a historic 2-0 series sweep.
