Minister of State Colm Brophy to visit India to strengthen bilateral engagement, followed by a working visit to Abu Dhabi
- Published on: 8 January 2026
- Last updated on: 8 January 2026
Minister Brophy will travel to India from 7 to 12 January 2026, followed by a short working visit to Abu Dhabi from 12 to 13 January 2026. During these visits, the Minister will engage with Government counterparts and Irish missions to progress Ireland’s bilateral relationships and co-operation across a range of priority areas.
Speaking ahead of the visit, Minister Brophy said:
“I am delighted to visit India and Abu Dhabi. These visits underline the Government’s commitment to international engagement and to strengthening co-operation with key global partners. India, in particular, is a vital partner for Ireland, especially in trade, education and innovation, and I look forward to meeting with senior counterparts to move forward on our shared priorities.
“I also want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the exceptional work of our staff in the visa offices in New Delhi and Abu Dhabi. Their dedication and professionalism play a crucial role in supporting Ireland's international engagement.
“The New Delhi visa office, as Ireland's largest visa operation outside the State, reflects the scale and importance of Ireland's relationship with the region and the vital role our visa services play in facilitating mobility.”
During his visit to India, Minister Brophy will visit the Irish Embassy and Visa Office and hold meetings with senior colleagues in the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs. These engagements will focus on progressing the objectives of the Government’s strategies, including trade and investment, legal migration pathways, education links, and co-operation on shared priorities at EU level.
The visit takes place against the backdrop of a strong and growing economic relationship between Ireland and India. Two-way trade has expanded significantly over the past decade, with combined trade now standing at just over €16 billion, an increase of approximately €12.5 billion. While services account for the majority of bilateral trade, this growth highlights the importance of continued engagement to unlock further opportunities.
Ireland’s engagement with India is guided by a number of Government strategies, including the Action Plan for Enhanced Engagement with India, the Action Plan on Market Diversification, and Ireland’s Asia-Pacific Strategy. Together, these frameworks set out the Government’s approach to strengthening economic ties, enhancing people-to-people links, and promoting co-operation in areas such as education, research, innovation and skills.
At EU level, Ireland has welcomed renewed engagement with India, including the development of a new EU-India Strategic Agenda and the planned EU-India Summit scheduled for the end of January 2026. Ireland also supports EU initiatives that promote safe, orderly and legal mobility, including the EU Talent Pool, which complements national migration systems and is relevant to a range of partner countries. Ireland also continues to support the conclusion of a balanced and mutually beneficial EU-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which is strategically important in supporting market diversification and improved access for Irish and European businesses, including in the food and drink sector, and in providing a framework for deeper co-operation in research and emerging technologies. If an FTA can be concluded, it has the potential to double trade between India and the EU and it is strongly hoped that it can be signed at the EU-India Summit in January 2026.
People-to-people links are a core element of the Government’s engagement with India. An estimated 80,000 Indian nationals are currently living in Ireland, while around 550 Irish citizens reside in India on a long-term basis. Ireland hosts the second-largest population of Indian students in the EU, after Germany, with approximately 10,000 Indian students currently resident in the State, comprising 18% of Ireland’s international student population.
The Indian community makes a significant and valued contribution to Irish society and the economy, particularly in key sectors such as information and communications technology and healthcare. Indian nationals accounted for around one third of all employment permits issued in 2024, with similar figures emerging for 2025.
Following the conclusion of the India visit, Minister Brophy will travel to Abu Dhabi to visit the Irish Embassy and Visa Office and meet with immigration attachés from a number of partner countries. These engagements will provide an opportunity to exchange views on international co-operation and mobility.
Ireland will continue to pursue a coordinated and strategic approach to international engagement, grounded in Government policy and focused on delivering tangible outcomes for Ireland’s economy, society, and international partnerships.
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Notes for editors
New Delhi Visa Office
The New Delhi Visa Office was established in 2005 and serves India, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
To end of November last year, there were 54,509 visa applications received in the New Delhi visa office. In 2024, the overall number of visa applications was 58,745 which was in increase of 12% compared to 2023.
Approximately 46% of applications received last year were for visit visas, 20% were study visas, 7% employment visas, and 16% were join family visas.
Abu Dhabi Visa Office
The Visa office in Abu Dhabi was established in October 2010 and serves United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt (Non delegated sanction applications from Embassy Cairo), Jordan (Non delegated sanction applications from Embassy Amman), Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia.
To end of November 2025, there were 12,063 visa applications made to the Abu Dhabi visa office. In 2024, the overall number of visa applications was 14,768 which was an increase of 31% compared to 2023.
Approximately 57% of applications received last year were for visit visas, 10% were study visas, 8% employment visas, and 7% were join family visas.
