On September 22, 2021, India virtually hosted the 1st India-United Kingdom (UK) Consular Dialogue. The Indian delegation was led by Devesh Uttam, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs and the UK delegation was led by Jennifer Anderson, Director Consular Services, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Key Points:
i.India-UK Consular Dialogue is a part of the India-UK 2030 Roadmap, in which both countries discussed ways to strengthen people-to-people contacts between them.
- India-UK Roadmap 2030: In May 2021, India and UK have adopted ‘Roadmap 2030’ at the India-UK Virtual Summit 2021, for elevating relations between the two countries to ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’.
- The 2030 roadmap envisages enhanced defence and security cooperation, robust trade, investment and technological collaboration.
ii.The dialogue provides consular access and early resolution of consular grievances through systematic information sharing, and cooperation on visas, extradition cases and mutual legal assistance.
iii.The Consular cooperation will develop working-level arrangements to promote safe travel for the millions of Indian and British nationals who travel between the two countries.
iv.The next round of the Consular Dialogue was scheduled to be held in 2022, in London.
Recent Related News:
‘Exercise Konkan- 2021’, a bilateral Naval Exercise held between the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of Britain in Portsmouth, United Kingdom (UK).
About the United Kingdom (UK):
Capital – London
Prime Minister – Boris Johnson
Currency – British Pound Sterling (GBP)
