External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar highlighted how India's passport services have changed during his speech at Annual Regional Passport Officers’ Conference on June 19, 2026. He called current delivery system “truly democratised,” pointing to its role in building a prosperous,globally connected Viksit Bharat.
Jaishankar pointed to big rise in annual passport issuance, which topped 138 lakh in financial year 2025-26. This jump shows Indian populace's growing ambitions. He said getting a passport has shifted from privilege to quick,accessible service for many citizens .
Senior official from Ministry of External Affairs said number of Passport Seva Kendras has shot up from 77 in 2014 to over 545 today. And there are 454 Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) nationwide,boosting accessibility even more .
Before wrapping up, Jaishankar gave Passport Seva Puraskar awards to recipients from different regions,recognizing their service. He was confident passport service will keep improving,stating, “This public service that you are providing will get better and better with each passing year.” Can it keep pace with demand,though…?
