MEA lacks consolidated data on passports issued to non-citizens

A reporter asked the Indian government a question: 'How many people who are not Indian citizens have been given an Indian passport?'

The government office called the Ministry of External Affairs answered: 'We do not keep that list.'

There is a rule in the Passport Act that lets the government give a passport to someone who is not a citizen if it helps the public.

So it is possible for a non-citizen to hold an Indian passport.

The government does keep other passport numbers, like how many were given in each state or to men and women.

But it says there is no single record of non-citizens getting passports.

The government also told people that an Indian passport is only a travel document, not a final proof of being a citizen.

That surprised some people because in 2016 the government said it checks citizenship before giving a passport.

Back then, it also said that non-citizens who get an Indian passport could have it taken away and face legal action.

Many people are now talking about why the government's answer seems different from before.