India and the United Arab Emirates held their sixth meeting of the Joint Committee on Consular Affairs in Abu Dhabi on November 26, 2025, marking another significant step in the two nations’ deepening partnership.
The Indian delegation was led by Arun Kumar Chatterjee, Secretary for Consular, Passport, Visa and Overseas Indian Affairs at the Ministry of External Affairs, while the UAE side was headed by Omar Obaid AlHesan AlShamsi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The meeting followed detailed technical-level consultations between officials from both countries.
The discussions took place against the backdrop of the historic Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and the UAE, a relationship guided by the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Both sides emphasized the strength of their bilateral ties, which are deeply rooted in the close connections between the peoples of the two nations.
India expressed appreciation for the UAE’s continued support for the large Indian community residing in the Emirates, which numbers over 3.5 million people and serves as a vital bridge in strengthening bilateral relations. Both delegations reaffirmed their mutual commitment to ensuring the safety, dignity and well-being of their citizens living in each other’s countries.
The meeting reviewed progress achieved since the previous gathering of the Joint Committee in New Delhi in May 2024. Officials from both nations exchanged experiences and best practices in consular affairs, with discussions resulting in advances across four key domains.
These include enhanced information flow and consular access, expedited cooperation on mutual legal assistance and extradition cases, progressive liberalization of visa policies, and the establishment of an institutionalized review mechanism to monitor developments.
The two sides agreed to hold the seventh meeting of the Joint Committee in India during 2026 on mutually convenient dates. During his visit to the UAE, Secretary Chatterjee also visited the Consulate General of India in Dubai, where he interacted with officials from various wings, reviewed ongoing initiatives, and gained insights into the consular work being undertaken.