The Alhind Group is preparing to take over as the consular service provider for the Indian Embassy in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with plans to open 16 new passport centres by July 1, 2023. This move aims to serve the over 4 million strong Indian community in the UAE more efficiently. Arun Radhakrishnan, Operations Manager for Alhind, confirmed that they have finalized locations and received embassy approval, with the largest centre set to be in Dubai's Bur Dubai area, featuring over 45 counters and 12,000 sq ft of space to significantly reduce waiting times. The centres will allow parents to obtain passports for newborns without needing an appointment and will provide a comprehensive range of documentation services. Additionally, Alhind is testing a new service that enables Indians to renew their passports from home, which could further streamline the process. The company has committed to keeping service charges economical, with only an additional fee of Dh19 above the embassy's mandated charges for services like photography and photocopying.