Dubai, UAE, September 2026: Aim India Forum (AIF) held an interaction with senior officials of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Indian diplomatic representatives in the UAE, where it raised several concerns related to the welfare and protection of Indian workers and vulnerable members of the Indian diaspora.
The interaction was held with Smt. Sripriya Ranganathan, Secretary (Consular, Passport, Visa & Overseas Indian Affairs), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. Senior MEA officials and representatives of the Indian diplomatic mission in the UAE also attended the meeting.
Shri Ankan Banerjee, Joint Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi, and Smt. Aaradhika Nair, Under Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi, were among the officials who took part in the interaction.
The meeting was also attended by H.E. Dr. Deepak Mittal, Ambassador of India to the UAE, H.E. Dr. Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, Consul General of India in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, and Smt. Ankita Wakekar, Consul (Labour), Consulate General of India, Dubai.
Representing Aim India Forum, Founder President Dr. Shirali Shaikh Muzaffer made a detailed presentation on the concerns and practical difficulties faced by Indian workers, particularly blue-collar workers and women workers.
AIF called for stronger support mechanisms for blue-collar and vulnerable Indian workers. It also sought special support systems for women workers who face distress or difficult circumstances.
Among the suggestions placed before the officials was the possibility of setting up a dedicated legal assistance cell within the Embassy or Consulate to assist Indians facing legal and labour-related difficulties.
The organisation also highlighted the need to expand and strengthen One Stop Centres and shelter homes for distressed and stranded Indian nationals. Better coordination between community organisations, Indian diplomatic missions and relevant UAE authorities was also discussed.
AIF further called for stronger mechanisms for early intervention, legal guidance, documentation and repatriation assistance.
Focus on NyayaMitra
A significant part of the interaction focused on NyayaMitra, or Your Legal Friend, the legal-support initiative of Aim India Forum.
Through NyayaMitra, AIF has developed a community-level model aimed at helping blue-collar workers who may find it difficult to understand or navigate legal procedures.
Dr. Muzaffer shared the experience gained through the initiative and proposed ways in which similar structured legal-support mechanisms could be strengthened through institutional cooperation.
The initiative aims to ensure that Indian workers do not feel helpless because they cannot afford legal assistance or do not understand the local legal process.
Focus on practical solutions
A central message from Aim India Forum during the interaction was the need to move beyond simply highlighting problems and instead work towards practical and implementable solutions.
The officials appreciated the inputs and the community-level experience shared by AIF. The discussions also covered the importance of continued dialogue, exchange of information and coordination with relevant UAE authorities wherever required.
The interaction opened an avenue for further engagement on policies and mechanisms aimed at strengthening the welfare and protection of the Indian diaspora in the UAE.
For Aim India Forum, the meeting was also an opportunity to take the concerns of workers, distressed Indians and vulnerable members of the community to a senior policy-level platform.
The organisation said community organisations have an important role in identifying challenges at the grassroots level and presenting constructive and solution-oriented recommendations to governments and diplomatic missions.
AIF reiterated its guiding principle: “We don’t want to be another organisation that comes to the Consulate with problems; we want to come with solutions.”
The organisation said it would continue its engagement with the Government of India, Embassy of India, Consulate General of India, UAE authorities and community organisations to work towards a more informed, protected and empowered Indian diaspora in the UAE.
