<span style="color: #222222;">More than 2.5 million Indians in distress abroad were repatriated home and over 2,75,000 Indians overseas were provided assistance under the 'Vande Bharat Mission' launched last year, the External Affairs Ministry said yesterday. Secretary (Consular, Passport and Visa & Overseas Indian Affairs) Sanjay Bhattacharyya said that India responded to protect migrant workers, stranded in destination countries across the world during the COVID-19 pandemic. He was speaking at the 112th Session of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Council on Impact of COVID-19 on Borders, Migration and Mobility: Learning Lessons and Preparing for the Future.  Mr Bhattacharyya added that the India-EU Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility provided better understanding leading to mutually beneficial mobility partnerships with several EU countries, including Denmark, France, Germany, Portugal and negotiations with others.<br />''<br />''The Secretary said that the recent Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement with the United Kingdom encouraged the orderly mobility of skills and talents that provide benefits to both sides. The Memorandum of Cooperation on Specified Skilled Workers with Japan provided a mechanism for the sending and receiving of Indian skilled workers to Japan in 14 specified sectors in a regulated and safe manner.</span><br />