India, US likely to step up consular ties

IN light of the challenges posed by illegal migration and delays in the US visa process, India and the US are set to step up their consular cooperation during PM Narendra Modi's visit to the U.S., sources familiar with the matter told this newspaper.

- JAYANTH JACOB @ New Delhi

Prime Minister will be in the US on February 12 and 13 after attending the AI summit in France.

The current consular dialogue mechanism, which operates at the joint secretary level for last eleven years, is expected to undergo a significant expansion to accommodate a wider scope of responsibilities aimed at getting swift results, sources said. Among the key areas that will be prioritized are looking at ways to reduce delays in visa processing, promoting smoother and more efficient legal migration, accelerating the consular procedures involved in the rapid return of illegal migrants and fast tracking extradition requests.

"Both sides have been engaged on this conversation to understand each other's concerns better and come up with solutions as people to people contact and mobility is at the heart of India-US ties," said a source.

In 2024, the US issued over one million nonimmigrant visas, including a record number of visitor visas, reflecting high demand from Indians for travel to the US.