The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will formally inaugurate its fourth diplomatic office in India in the southern city of Hyderabad next month in an effort to meet persistent visa requests and strengthen commercial ties, particularly in the information technology and healthcare sectors.

According to consul general Aaref Alnuaimi, the UAE’s state minister for foreign affairs, Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, is scheduled to formally open the consulate in Hyderabad on June 14 despite the fact that the last-minute details are still being worked out. After the New Delhi embassy and the Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram consulates, this will be the fourth mission.

“We are opening the consulate in Hyderabad because of the demand of the visa section and the demand of the people who want to go to the UAE,” Alnuaimi said in an interview.

“Besides, UAE citizens visit Hyderabad for a lot of reasons, including studies and medical check-ups in hospitals. This is why our government thought it is better to open a mission in Hyderabad,” he said. The new consulate is expected to issue about 300 visas a day, including resident visas.

Asked about the reasons UAE citizens prefer to come to India for medical treatment, Alnuaimi said, “The relationship between the UAE citizens and Hyderabad is very old. And here in India, you have good doctors and hospitals. For these reasons, they are coming here.”

Alnuaimi, a professional diplomat who has worked in Iran, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia in addition to being appointed as the first consul general for Hyderabad in December 2021, stated that he will serve as a liaison between UAE companies and their counterparts in Hyderabad and Telangana.

“In terms of boosting business connections, we are focusing on two areas – information technology and healthcare,” he said.

Hyderabad and other parts of south India are becoming increasingly important for the UAE’s visa operations. “South India is a very big area and the demand [for visas] is also big here,” he added.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday announced that Australia will open a Consulate-General in Bengaluru this month. He said the opening of the new diplomatic mission in Bengaluru will help in connecting the country’s businesses to India’s booming digital and innovation ecosystem.

The opening up of the Consulate-General in Bengaluru this month will be the fifth diplomatic mission in India. Others are in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata.

“Expanding Australia’s diplomatic footprint to Bengaluru will connect Australian businesses to India’s booming digital economy and innovation ecosystem, and reinforce our growing links in science and technology. Prime Minister Albanese welcomed India’s plans for a Consulate-General in Brisbane,” Albanese said.