BLS International Services, a global tech-enabled services provider for governments and diplomatic missions, has been awarded a prestigious three-year contract by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), government of India, to establish and operate Indian Visa Application Centres (IVACs) in China. The contract comes into effect from 14 October 2025.
Under the agreement, BLS International will set up and manage IVACs in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. The centres are expected to offer secure, streamlined, and customer-friendly visa services, supported by advanced infrastructure, technology, and multilingual staff to ensure a seamless experience for applicants.
Shikhar Aggarwal, Joint Managing Director of BLS International, said, “We are honoured to receive this prestigious contract from the Ministry of External Affairs and look forward to providing excellent services. We believe this is a significant milestone for BLS International, and these IVACs will play a vital role in facilitating reliable and user-centric visa services. We thank the Ministry of External Affairs for its continued trust and confidence.”
The company operates in over 70 countries, processing millions of applications annually, and is recognised for its transparency, compliance, and customer focus.
BLS International has established a strong presence in consular, visa, passport, citizen, e-governance, and biometric services. It currently manages over 50,000 centres globally, with a workforce exceeding 60,000 employees and associates.
The development of the contract triggered a sharp spike in BLS International’s stock. Shares surged as much as 13 per cent on Thursday, 16 October, to Rs 313.15, after the company’s exchange filing confirmed the MEA award.
Financial terms of the contract were not disclosed.
The award comes just two days after BLS International was barred by the MEA for two years from participating in any new Indian Mission tenders. The company noted that Indian Missions accounted for nearly 12 per cent of its consolidated revenue and 8 per cent of Ebitda in the June quarter and does not anticipate any impact on ongoing operations.
Despite the recent rally, BLS International’s shares remain down 35 per cent year-to-date, reflecting broader market pressures and stock underperformance earlier this year. |
