Supreme Court Upholds Tender Ruling; Fresh Process Ordered for Indian Passport Services in Kuwait
The Supreme Court of India has upheld the Delhi High Court’s decision to quash the Ministry of External Affairs’ (MEA) tender process for outsourcing passport, visa and consular services at the Indian Embassy in Kuwait, paving the way for a fresh bidding process while ensuring that services continue under interim arrangements.
The ruling also applies to Indian missions in the United Arab Emirates, Singapore and Canberra, Australia, where the same tender process had been challenged over alleged irregularities in the evaluation of bids.
The apex court dismissed the Centre’s appeal against the Delhi High Court’s verdict, directing the MEA to initiate a fresh tender process within three months. At the same time, the court emphasized that passport and consular services must continue uninterrupted during the transition to avoid inconvenience to Indian nationals living abroad.
For the nearly one million Indians residing in Kuwait, the decision provides clarity after weeks of uncertainty over the future of outsourced consular services.
Earlier this month, the Indian Embassy in Kuwait had announced temporary restrictions on routine passport, visa and attestation services following the High Court’s order, limiting services primarily to emergency cases while interim arrangements were put in place.
The Supreme Court’s ruling now confirms that these temporary arrangements can continue until a new service provider is selected through a transparent and legally compliant tender process.
The dispute arose after the MEA awarded the contract for managing Consular, Passport and Visa (CPV) services at several Indian missions abroad. Unsuccessful bidders challenged the award, alleging shortcomings in the technical evaluation process and a lack of transparency. The Delhi High Court found merit in these concerns and set aside the tender, directing the government to issue fresh bids.
With the Supreme Court affirming that decision, the Ministry of External Affairs is now expected to begin a new tender process for Kuwait and the other affected missions while maintaining uninterrupted public services.
The Indian Embassy in Kuwait is expected to continue facilitating passport renewals, visa services, attestation and other essential consular services under the interim mechanism until a new outsourcing agency is appointed.
The Embassy is likely to issue further advisories regarding the resumption of full-fledged services and any changes to appointment procedures once the fresh tender process progresses.
The Supreme Court’s decision is expected to reassure the Indian community in Kuwait that essential consular services will remain available while the government completes a transparent selection process for a long-term service provider.
