May 16: The 5th meeting of the Joint Committee on Consular Affairs (JCCA) was held on 14th May 2024 in New Delhi. The Indian delegation was led by Shri Muktesh Pardeshi, Secretary (CPV & OIA), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. The UAE delegation was led by H.E. Mr. Khaled Belhoul, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the UAE.
India and UAE enjoy a warm, close, and multi-faceted relationship which is built on the deep bonds of friendship between both sides. The relationship between the two countries, which was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2017, encompasses all areas of cooperation – political, economic, trade, commerce, defense, culture, technology, and energy, with people-to-people ties forming the bedrock. UAE is currently host to more than 3.5 million Indian citizens, the largest outside India.
The two sides held wide-ranging discussions on mechanisms to strengthen coordination and cooperation on Consular issues covering labor, visa, migration, citizenship, and extradition, among others. The UAE side gave a detailed briefing on various steps taken by the government to ensure the welfare of the Indian workers in the UAE. Both sides reiterated their commitment to continue to work towards citizen-centric consular mechanisms.
The two sides also discussed other issues of mutual interest including visa facilitation for promoting greater people-to-people exchanges and early conclusion of agreements related to migration and mobility. Outcomes from the meeting also included regular exchange of statistics related to the citizens of each others’ countries and best practices on consular matters.
The two sides agreed to follow up on the agreed decisions of the meeting and review them at the next Consular Dialogue, which will be held in Abu Dhabi at a mutually convenient date.
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