Addressing an event to mark 'Passport Seva Divas', the minister said the ministry has integrated 174 Indian embassies and consulates abroad with the passport service programme.
The PDP leader had applied for a fresh passport in December 2019, but the application has not been cleared till date in the absence of a police verification report.
The current heightened interest among US citizens for a second passport predates the coronavirus pandemic, but the crisis has helped turbo-charge demand.
The govt was responding to opposition members alleging that the move was a "further saffronisation" attempt by the Modi govt, given that the lotus is BJP's election symbol.
Passengers arriving at participating airports will already have their identity data encrypted and stored on their mobile phone, instead of on a passport microchip.
The e-passport will contain a 64 KB chip that will have all details of the passport-holder. The move will help crack down on trafficking and fake passports.
Indians see West Asia as one uninterrupted wash of Islam, but the reality is more complex. For the Druze, support from Israel—where they are a recognised minority—is now critical.
Mini deal will likely see no cut in 10% baseline tariff on Indian exports announced by Trump on 2 April, it is learnt, but additional 26% tariffs are set to be reduced.
India-Russia JV is also racing to deliver 7,000 more AK-203 assault rifles by 15 Aug. These are currently being made with 50% indigenisation and this will surge to 100% by 31 December.
Public, loud, upfront, filled with impropriety and high praise sometimes laced with insults. This is what we call Trumplomacy. But the larger objective is the same: American supremacy.
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