External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Monday said that India has been engaged with foreign governments to ensure the welfare of prospective migrants and to mitigate the negative economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on talent abroad.
"Focus of govt has been to provide better opportunities and welfare measures to prospective migrants. We've been engaged in negotiation with foreign governments to provide ease of travel&opportunity through migration&mobility agreements," said EAM S Jaishankar at Annual Conference of Protectors of Emigrants.
"As with the rest of the country, the protectors of emigrants must rise to the challenge of reviving the post-COVID economy and engaging the post-COVID world," said EAM.
"We are focusing that negative economic consequences of the pandemic on our talent abroad are mitigated that is influenced not only by the quality of our bilateral relationships but the helpful approach that we have displayed in regard to health and economic requirements of our partners," EAM added.
Jaishankar said that the government has accorded the highest priority to promoting the interest of Indian immigrants for the last six years.
"The focus of the government is to provide better opportunity and welfare measures to prospective immigrants. We are there engaged in with foreign governments to provide ease of travel and opportunity through migration and mobility agreements," he said.
"Among those whom we have accorded priority in terms of welfare and protection is the Indians working in the Gulf region and in South East Asia," he added.
The minister further said that India has been taking all possible efforts to reduce the vulnerability, curb exploitation and harassment by foreign employers as well as by unscrupulous recruitment agents.
( With inputs from ANI )