India, June 25 -- The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has clarified that an Indian passport is a travel document and should not be treated as conclusive proof of citizenship: Officials.

The clarification was issued during a briefing on India's expanding passport and mobility ecosystem, where officials stressed that the primary purpose of a passport is to facilitate international travel and establish identity abroad.

Officials said that while passports are issued only after due verification of citizenship and supporting documents, the document itself is not legally considered definitive proof of Indian citizenship. Citizenship status is determined under the Citizenship Act and related legal provisions, not by possession of a passport ...