In its move to mitigate predatory pricing, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has tightened rules for the selection of partner visas and consular services to the Indian diaspora and foreign visitors. Further, to make the service more robust, seamless, and reliable, the MEA is committed to serving Indians migrating and foreigners visiting India with an overarching vision to strengthen India’s image and reputation. The Indian Missions of the MEA are the first touch points for any international traveller coming into India, including Indian citizens or persons of Indian origin (PIO) and foreigners (travelling to India) residing overseas.
On this move, Jyoti Mayal, President, TAAI, said, “The Ministry of External Affairs has embarked on a transformational programme to reform and strengthen its tendering and evaluation process in a holistic manner to select the right outsourced service providers. While the focus lies on L1 pricing, there is a strong emphasis on the four pillars of quality services, sustainable and viable price, data protection and security, ethical practices, and integrity.”
Commenting on the endeavour, she also added, “It is important that the first impression of any individual travelling to India or having to work with any Indian mission anywhere in the world needs to be impeccable, as the government is determined to work towards delivering the promise of New India. Therefore, the MEA and its missions, as true representatives of the Indian government to the world, must focus on offering superior, efficient, and cost-effective services as perhaps the first step in that direction.”
Mayal concluded by stating, “India is positioning itself as a global leader in several sectors such as trade, cross-border services, citizen services, etc. As India marches towards a high-momentum growth period, it will be critical to plan for factors that can impede progress and mitigate reputational and image risks for the Indian government. Hence, it became imperative for the government to focus on the quality, reliability, and credibility of the service providers it engages with to ensure services are delivered effectively, efficiently, and in line with established standards; otherwise, failure in service levels can erode confidence and trust in the government’s capabilities, leading to public dissatisfaction. The focus on quality also indicates that public resources are utilised wisely and that citizens receive the best possible value for money.”
 has tightened rules for the selection of partner visas and consular services to the Indian diaspora and foreign visitors. Further, to make the service more robust, seamless, and reliable, the MEA is committed to serving Indians migrating and foreigners visiting India with an overarching vision to strengthen India’s image and reputation. The Indian Missions of the MEA are the first touch points for any international traveller coming into India, including Indian citizens or persons of Indian origin (PIO) and foreigners (travelling to India) residing overseas.){kind=link}