Interesting here: Extradition and the Mobility of Students and Professionals

India and the United States held a bilateral consular dialogue on Friday to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation on extradition, student and professional mobility, and safe and legal migration.

Also focused on protecting vulnerable women and children and facilitating smooth travel for both countries’ nationals, according to the external affairs ministry.

The dialogue “reinforced the strong people-to-people ties and cooperation that both countries share across consular issues of mutual interest,” according to a ministry statement.

In recent years, both sides have increased their cooperation on extradition and related issues, according to people familiar with the situation.

Safe and legal migration has also gained importance in light of reports of human trafficking rings attempting to illegally transport Indian nationals into the United States from neighbouring countries, they said.

During the dialogue, the two sides welcomed the launch of a pilot programme in the United States to adjudicate domestic renewals of certain types of visas as a proactive step towards strengthening the two countries’ people-to-people connections.

The Indian delegation at the talks was led by KJ Srinivasa, joint secretary in the external

affairs ministry’s consular, passport, and visa division, while the US delegation was led by Rena Bitter, assistant secretary, bureau of consular affairs, Department of State.

Both parties agreed to hold the next consular dialogue in the US next year.

In 2023, the United States issued over one million visas to Indians, and there are currently 270,000 Indian students in the country.