Vinay Kwatra recently announced the opening of eight new Indian Consular Application Centres across the country. This move is described as a major expansion of India’s consular service capabilities and a reflection of the government’s commitment to accessible, efficient, and people-centric service delivery for the Indian diaspora.
Ambassador Kwatra, addressing prominent Indian-American community members from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania at the Indian Consulate in New York, underscored the significance of these new centres. He called the expansion both a clear manifestation of the Indian government’s resolve to serve its global migrant community and a vital step toward strengthening people-to-people ties between India and the United States.
Locations and operational details
The newly opened Indian Consular Application Centres are located in:
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Columbus, Ohio
- Dallas, Texas
- Detroit, Michigan
- Addison, Texas
- Orlando, Florida
- Raleigh, North Carolina
- San Jose, California
A ninth centre in Los Angeles, California, is set to be inaugurated soon, further extending the geographical reach and accessibility of consular services. The initiative aims to provide a robust support network for the estimated 5.4 million people of Indian origin (including 2.07 million NRIs) currently residing in the US, who constitute the third-largest Asian ethnic group in the country.
Enhanced accessibility and operational hours
One of the most noted aspects of the expansion is the decision to keep all Indian Consular Application Centres open on Saturdays starting August 1, 2025. Ambassador Kwatra highlighted this upgrade during a virtual inauguration of the centres in Edison, New Jersey; Columbus, Ohio; and Boston, Massachusetts. The move is designed to significantly enhance access, enabling working professionals and students with busy weekday schedules to avail themselves of consular services on weekends.
Streamlined services and community engagement
The consular expansion follows extensive consultation and outreach with Indian-American community leaders, local officials, and the media. At the inauguration event for the Edison Centre, attended by Mayor Samip Joshi and community representatives, Consul General Binaya Pradhan outlined further steps taken by the ministry to streamline consular service delivery and welcomed feedback for continued service improvements.
The expanded centres are set to handle a wide array of consular tasks, including visa and passport processing, attestation services, Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards, and miscellaneous legal and cultural matters. While several services will be administered at these new centres, a select few will continue to be provided exclusively from embassy or consulate premises, to ensure quality control and oversight.
Ambassador Kwatra also encouraged the diaspora to stay informed about available services and centre details via regular updates on the Indian Embassy’s website, indicating an ongoing digital outreach strategy.
Fostering people-to-people ties and diplomacy
The opening of new Consular Application Centres is just one element of India’s broader effort to deepen ties with its overseas population and, by extension, with the United States. Ambassador Kwatra echoed Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s appreciation of the Indian diaspora as a dynamic “living bridge” between the two democracies. With the anticipated launch of new Indian consulates in Boston and Los Angeles—announced by the Prime Minister earlier—India aims to further fortify diplomatic, educational, business, and cultural links with American society.
The move is reciprocated on the other side as well. Earlier in January, the US dedicated its new consulate in Bengaluru, marking the fifth American consulate in India and underlining bilateral interest in expanding consular cooperation. The flourishing diaspora has been credited as a catalyst for ever-closer India-US relations, not just at the governmental level but through academic, economic, and cultural exchanges as well.
Ongoing commitment and community-centric approach
Ambassador Kwatra reiterated that India’s Ministry of External Affairs is deeply committed to a model of service founded on promptness, transparency, and people-centric values. The ongoing expansion of consular services is seen as an investment in the well-being and integration of Indian-origin residents in the United States, enhancing their ability to maintain meaningful connections with India.
With nearly every major US region soon covered by an Indian Consular Application Centre, the diaspora is expected to benefit from faster, more accessible, and more comprehensive consular support. The government’s readiness to expand weekend service hours and listen to user feedback demonstrates a willingness to adapt and modernize consular engagement.
India’s move to inaugurate eight new Consular Application Centres across the US marks a significant leap in consular outreach and diaspora engagement. By enhancing physical presence, operational flexibility, and digital communication, India is not only serving its own citizens but also reinforcing the bridge between itself and its global community, with mutual benefits for both nations’ people and their partnership.
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