Delhi/ Toronto ( Rajeev Sharma): In a major development, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India, has debarred BLS International Services Ltd. from participating in any future tenders or projects for a period of two years.
According to official sources, the decision — communicated to the company on October 10, 2025 — follows multiple allegations and complaints from applicants, as well as court cases related to the company’s operations in various visa and passport outsourcing services.
However, the MEA clarified that this restriction will apply only to new tenders, and existing contracts and projects currently managed by BLS International will continue under their existing terms.
In response, the company stated that it does not anticipate any material financial impact, emphasizing that business from Indian Missions contributes only about 12% of its consolidated revenue and 8% of its EBITDA for Q1 FY26.
BLS International, a global player in visa, passport, and consular outsourcing, operates in more than 60 countries and manages millions of applications annually.
Industry experts say this decision may temporarily affect India’s outsourcing ecosystem but could open the field for other players to compete for upcoming MEA projects.
Source: Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India;
