India, UAE discuss consular, labour mobility issues; work on DigiLocker integration
New Delhi, July 23. India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on July 22 reviewed a range of consular, visa and legal issues, while exploring the integration of India’s DigiLocker platform with UAE systems to enable seamless authentication of Indian academic degrees and documents.
The discussions took place during the 7th meeting of the India-UAE Joint Committee on Consular Affairs (JCCA) in New Delhi, co-chaired by Sripriya Ranganathan, Secretary (Consular, Passport, Visa and Overseas Indian Affairs), and Omar Obaid Mohammed AlHesan AlShamsi, Undersecretary at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The meeting was preceded by technical-level discussions covering consular matters, labour and mobility-related issues, as well as extradition and mutual legal assistance.
In a separate engagement, the two sides discussed steps towards integrating India’s DigiLocker with UAE platforms. The proposed integration is expected to facilitate the seamless authentication of Indian academic degrees and other documents, benefiting Indian professionals in the UAE and supporting greater economic and educational opportunities.
During the JCCA meeting, the delegations reviewed progress made since the previous meeting held in Abu Dhabi in November 2025. They welcomed regular exchanges at various levels on key consular matters and agreed to take further steps to strengthen cooperation in the consular, visa and legal domains.
Both sides placed emphasis on the welfare and well-being of their respective communities and agreed to follow up on decisions taken during the meeting. They also decided to maintain monthly review mechanisms and hold technical-level meetings as required.
The Indian side appreciated the support extended by the UAE leadership and authorities towards the welfare of the country’s large Indian community. With around 4.5 million Indians residing in the UAE, people-to-people ties remain a key pillar of the bilateral relationship.
The two countries also reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring the safety, dignity and well-being of their citizens residing in each other’s territories.
The next meeting of the Joint Committee on Consular Affairs will be held in Abu Dhabi on mutually convenient dates.
