The Indian government has announced amended passport rules with a revised fee structure effective July 1, 2026. A key highlight is a 10% fee concession on fresh passport applications for children up to eight years of age and senior citizens aged 60 years and above. This concession is limited to fresh applications submitted within India and does not apply to reissues.
Revised Fee Structure for Adults and Minors
For adults aged 18 years and above, and minors aged 15 to 18 applying under the adult category, a fresh 36-page passport or its reissue will cost Rs 2,500 under the normal scheme and Rs 5,000 under the Tatkal scheme within India. Overseas applicants will pay $125 and $250 respectively.
Applicants opting for a 60-page passport will be charged Rs 3,500 (normal) and Rs 6,000 (Tatkal) within India, with overseas fees of $175 and $300. Replacement of a lost or damaged 36-page passport costs Rs 5,000 (normal) and Rs 7,500 (Tatkal) domestically, and $250 and $375 abroad. For a 60-page lost or damaged passport, the fee is Rs 6,000 (normal) and Rs 8,500 (Tatkal) domestically, with $300 and $425 overseas.
Fees for Minor Applicants
Minor applicants below 18 years seeking a fresh 36-page passport or reissue will pay Rs 1,750 (normal) and Rs 4,250 (Tatkal) within India, with overseas fees of $90 and $215. Replacement of a lost or damaged minor passport costs Rs 4,250 (normal) and Rs 6,750 (Tatkal) domestically, and $215 and $340 abroad.
Other Services and Validity
Special travel documents and emergency certificates, available only to applicants abroad, will now cost $15 with no Tatkal facility. A Certificate of Identity is priced at Rs 1,000 in India and $50 abroad, also without Tatkal. Other services like police clearance certificates, surrender certificates, and global entry programme verification cost Rs 750 in India and $40 abroad, with no Tatkal option.
Passport validity remains unchanged: adult passports are valid for 10 years, while minor passports are valid for five years or until the holder turns 18, whichever is earlier. The Passports Rules, originally notified on December 11, 1980, have been periodically revised. The last amendment was on February 24, 2025, and the current amendment takes effect from July 1, 2026, replacing Schedule IV of the Passports Rules, 1980.
Operation Sindoor: Names of Fallen Soldiers Made Public
India has officially released the names of six soldiers who lost their lives during Operation Sindoor against Pakistan in May 2025. Among them are two gallantry awardees: Rifleman Sunil Kumar, awarded the Vir Chakra, and Sergeant Surendra Kumar, awarded the Vayu Medal. The names, along with regimental affiliations of five Army soldiers and the squadron of one Indian Air Force air warrior, have been published on the National War Memorial website in New Delhi. Their names will be engraved on special bricks at the memorial.
The six fallen soldiers are: Sub Maj Pawan Kumar (Headquarters 10 Infantry Brigade), Rifleman Sunil Kumar (4th battalion, Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry Regiment), Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar (5 Field Regiment), Agniveer Mood Murali Naik (851 Light Regiment), Havildar Sunil Kumar Singh (237 Field Workshop), and Sergeant Surendra Kumar (39 Wing, IAF). President Droupadi Murmu presented the Vir Chakra (Posthumous) to Rifleman Sunil Kumar on June 8, 2026, received by his mother Sudesh Kumari and father Yash Paul.
IAF Netra Surveillance Plane Gets Final Operational Clearance
The Indian Air Force's indigenous airborne radar system, 'Netra', has been granted Final Operational Clearance (FOC). The Airborne Early Warning & Control System (AEW&CS), mounted on an Embraer aircraft, received Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) in 2017. Three such planes have been operational and played a key role in surveillance during Operation Sindoor. Developed by the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), the system enhances airborne surveillance, situational awareness, and battle management. The FOC ceremony was presided over by Deputy Chief of IAF Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti in Bengaluru, who highlighted the system's reliability during Operation Sindoor and the 2019 Balakot strikes.
