UAE and India Hold Talks on Consular Cooperation
The UAE and India sat down this week to talk through issues that affect millions of people living between the two countries. The UAE India consular committee held its seventh session in New Delhi, focusing on strengthening cooperation on visa, passport and citizen welfare matters.
The UAE delegation was led by Omar Obaid Alhesan Alshamsi, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while Sripriya Ranganathan, Secretary for Consular, Passport, Visa and Overseas Indian Affairs, headed the Indian side.
Talks covered mobility, extradition and mutual legal assistance, along with a review of progress since the last session. During the meeting, Indian officials praised the UAE’s efforts to support the welfare of its large Indian community.
In return, the UAE side highlighted the growing number of Emiratis travelling to India for tourism, education and medical treatment, calling people-to-people ties a cornerstone of the relationship.
Although the UAE India consular committee doesn’t set new visa rules directly, it plays a key role in smoothing out practical issues faced by travellers, workers and residents. With millions of Indians living in the UAE, this kind of regular dialogue helps keep services running smoothly for both communities.
