Indian missions in UAE permitted to resume outsourced passport and visa services

The Supreme Court of India has permitted the Indian missions in the UAE, Kuwait, Singapore and Canberra to temporarily engage service providers whose contracts were previously set aside. This means the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai now have the option to direct Alhind Tours and Travels to begin offering consular services in the UAE, should they wish to do so, until a fresh tender process is completed. The directive dismissed the Union Government's challenge to a Delhi High Court judgment that had quashed the tender process for outsourcing Consular, Passport and Visa services at four Indian missions. The court recognised the need to avoid disruption in passport and visa services for millions of Indians and modified the High Court's directions to permit interim arrangements. The Ministry of External Affairs may engage the existing L-1 contractors if their performance has been satisfactory, or appoint any other agency considered appropriate for the interim period.