New Delhi: India and UAE held wide-ranging discussions on mechanisms to strengthen coordination and co-operation on Consular issues covering labour, visa, migration, citizenship and extradition, among others, the Ministry of External affairs said on Wednesday. Both the sides held the 5th meeting of Joint Committee on Consular Affairs (JCCA) on Tuesday in New Delhi.
The Indian delegation was led by Muktesh Pardeshi, Secretary (CPV & OIA), Ministry of External Affairs. The UAE delegation was led by Khaled Belhoul, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UAE.
It is pertinent to note that India and UAE enjoy 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 mutual cooperation – political, economic, trade, commerce, defence, cultural, 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 co-operation on Consular issues covering labour, 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.