Don't risk it - after an experience in Vietnam passport office - arriving into India with the American "I have a right or entitled" doesn't always work in the real world. You might be able to get away with slipping him some coffee money but really long flight/journey to waste 4-5 hrs of time if they decide to make an example of you.
Suck it up, send for a new passport (as US Govt doesn't add extra pages anymore).