Vipul, Consul General of India Speaks on India – UAE Ties

by Pranab Banerjee

The bilateral ties between India and the UAE are at an all-time high, says Vipul, the Consul General of India in Dubai and the Northern Emirates.

According to Vipul, the momentum of high-level visits between the two countries has intensified in 2018. The most important was Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the UAE in February. India’s presence as the Guest of Honour country at the World Government Summit was reflective of our close relations. The laying of the foundation stone of the temple in Abu Dhabi during the visit was truly a millennium moment.

From the Indian side, there have also been visits of our Minister of Petroleum and Skill Development, Minister of State for Youth Affairs, Sports & I&B as well as Chief Ministers of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh this year. From the UAE side, I would particularly like to mention the recent visits of Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Omar Bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of Artificial Intelligence, to India.

There have been several exchange programs between the two sides in preparation for India’s participation in Expo 2020. “In keeping with our comprehensive strategic partnership, we are also taking our co-operation to new and high technology areas such as artificial intelligence and space.

The CG feels that Indians are very well integrated in the UAE, and enjoy a good life and rapport here. At times people do get into problems due to various reasons such as loss of jobs, overstay and legal issues and the Consulate does try to help resolve such issues within the legal framework of the UAE.

The CG continues, “We try and resolve various issues that Indians might face while being in the UAE. One of the major ways to do it is by guiding them about local rules, laws, and procedures. We also extend legal and psychological counseling through our outsourcing agency – the Indian Workers Resources Centre. In deserving cases, we also help people financially from the Indian Community Welfare Fund by paying for their return ticket to India.

“I must say that we see a lot of Indians coming to the UAE looking for a job on visit visas and falling into trouble as they may not be able to find a job. This should not be done, especially workers should come only through registered agents in India and through the Government of India’s e-migrate system”, the CG advises.

Vipul notes, ” We do marital counseling and try our best to resolve family issues though this is very difficult. We also support NRI women facing marital issues by way of legal counseling. The Government of India has taken several steps to safeguard women who may be very vulnerable away from India.”

‘Year of Zayed’

The Indian community continues to pay tribute under “Year of Zayed” through various programs and activities. As the largest community in the UAE, I think Indians have been the biggest beneficiaries of the UAE that late Sheikh Zayed built. All Indians readily associate with the values of peaceful coexistence, tolerance, and progress that he professed. We are prepared to help the people in every manner possible, including financially if they do not have the means to support themselves.