Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: India and the UAE have reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring the safety, dignity and well-being of their citizens living in each other’s countries during the 7th Meeting of the India-UAE Joint Committee on Consular Affairs (JCCA).
The meeting was co-chaired by the Secretary of consular, passport and visa overseas Indian affairs, Sripriya Ranganathan, and UAE’s Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Obaid Mohammed AlHesan AlShamsi, in New Delhi on July 22 The JCCA meeting was preceded by technical-level discussions between the two sides on consular issues, labour and mobility-related issues and extradition and mutual legal assistance.
Consular issues
The Ministry of External Affairs said that during JCCA meeting, both sides emphasised the centrality of the welfare and wellbeing of the community, and both sides agreed on further steps to enhance cooperation across the consular, visa and legal domains.
The delegations also reviewed progress since the previous meeting of the JCCA held in Abu Dhabi in November 2025 and welcomed regular exchanges on important consular issues at all levels. The Ministry added that a separate meeting took place between the two sides to work towards integrating India’s DigiLocker with the UAE platforms for seamless authentication of Indian academic documents.
It added that the move is expected to benefit Indian professionals working in the UAE and facilitate greater economic and educational opportunities.
“India and the UAE enjoy warm and cordial relations that cover all facets of bilateral cooperation, including in the economic, political, defence, technology, cultural, and energy domains, and are anchored in the strong people-to-people ties underpinned by the 4.5 millionstrong Indian community in the UAE. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and His Highness President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, India-UAE relations have continued to scale new heights,” the MEA stated.
More opportunities
Alhesan Alshamsi noted that the exchange of high-level visits between the two countries, together with the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), has further expanded opportunities for cooperation and contributed to the development and prosperity of both nations.
He further emphasised that the strong people-to-people ties between the two countries remain a cornerstone of the bilateral relationship. “The Indian community continues to play an integral role in the UAE’s development journey, while the number of UAE nationals travelling to India for tourism, education, and medical treatment continues to grow,” noted a statement by the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ministry said that it was also decided to hold the next meeting of JCCA in Abu Dhabi on mutually convenient dates.
