&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "India boosts global worker mobility with passport overhaul and new international forum")
New Delhi: India is set to host a major Human Resource Mobility Forum next week, bringing together officials from Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and Denmark to connect skilled Indian workers with ethical employers abroad. The event comes as New Delhi pushes to position itself as a key global supplier of talent while overhauling its passport issuance infrastructure and emigration systems to make overseas opportunities more accessible and secure.
The timing is significant. India has dramatically streamlined passport services in recent years. Processing times have been slashed to as little as five working days in many cases, with applicants now spending under 45 minutes at Passport Seva Kendras, MEA officials have pointed out. All new passports are chip-enabled, featuring enhanced biometric security that meets International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards, reducing fraud risks and improving global acceptance.
The network of passport issuance centres has expanded sixfold in a decade to 545 locations nationwide, with 20 more planned this year. The government aims to have at least one facility in every parliamentary constituency by 2027.
Mobility agreements have also multiplied. India has signed 27 pacts with 25 countries, including the EU and the UK, easing movement for students, professionals, apprentices, and business travellers. Visa-free access for Indian passport holders now stands at 27 countries, with visa-on-arrival options in 47 countries and e-visas in 66 countries.
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The revamped eMigrate 2.0 portal has processed emigration clearance for nearly 700,000 Indian workers since October 2022. Randomised processing at 17 passport offices has improved transparency, while pre-departure training programmes now equip workers with country-specific cultural and skills orientation. In host countries, one-stop centres for distressed Indian women, offering legal aid and psychological support, have opened in Gulf nations and Singapore, backed by the Indian Community Welfare Fund.
Officials describe the changes as part of a broader strategy to safeguard citizens while expanding economic opportunities. With India’s young population and growing pool of skilled professionals, the government sees organised labour mobility as a win-win for both sending and receiving countries.
