Abu Dhabi, July 3 -- A legal dispute has delayed the rollout of a new Indian consular service system in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), forcing the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai to temporarily handle passport, visa, attestation and other consular services.

The Indian missions announced on Wednesday, July 1, that limited services would be available from Thursday, July 2, due to "administrative reasons". However, according to Khaleej Times and Gulf News, the temporary arrangement follows an ongoing court battle over the appointment of a new outsourcing provider.

Why was the transition delayed?

According to the reports, the contracts of BLS International and SGIVS Global Services expired on June...