KUWAIT: Satish C Mehta took over as India's Ambassador to Kuwait nearly one-and-a-half years ago. As India is poised to celebrate its 64th Republic Day on Jan 26, the Ambassador, in an exclusive interview with Kuwait Times, takes a quick look at the growth and evolution of India as a republic over the last six decades, analyzing some of the critical challenges the country faces today despite its strengths and the opportunities that are available to it. Mehta also shared his views on a range of topics from growing economic engagement between Kuwait and India to community welfare and consular services at the Indian embassy in Kuwait.
Excerpts:
KT: It is almost a year-and-a half since you assumed office as India's Ambassador to Kuwait. How do you view the growing bilateral relations between India and Kuwait?
Mehta: Relations between India and Kuwait are historic and close and cover a broad spectrum, including convergence of views on important international issues, growing economic engagement, intense people-to-people contacts and regular cultural exchanges. Happily, all these aspects of the relationship have grown in the last one-and-a-half years. Bilateral trade, which was $12.1 billion in 2010-11 crossed $17.5 billion in 2011-12 - a new record. In the current financial year, even this may be surpassed.
Joint Working Group on Labour and Joint Working Group on Hydrocarbons met last year. We also had the first Foreign Office Consultations in India in May 2012 and Undersecretary in the Ministry of Commerce & Industry visited India to participate in the 'Partnership Summit' in January 2012. Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahmed visited Kuwait twice in October 2011 and October 2012. Advisor to Prime Minister of India, T K A Nair visited Kuwait in May 2012. Rahul Gandhi visited Kuwait at the invitation of HH the Amir in June 2012.
Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Hamoud Al-Sabah visited New Delhi in September 2011 to participate in the activities of the launching ceremony of the Cultural Library of His Highness the Amir of the State of Kuwait. Vayalar Ravi, Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs visited Kuwait in November 2012 to promote PBD 2013 which was recently held in Kochi. A high-level Kuwaiti media delegation of the Kuwait Journalists Association, led by its President Ahmed Y Behbehani and comprising editors-in-chief/deputy editors of various prestigious newspapers of Kuwait visited India in May 2012. We expect greater momentum in our bilateral relations in 2013.
Community welfare
KT: Since Indians form the largest expatriate community in Kuwait, it will be both gratifying as well as challenging to represent India in Kuwait. It may also present a lot of opportunities for you to help improve the lives of thousands of Indians here, especially in the domestic sector. Your experience?
Mehta: Indeed it is an honour to represent India in Kuwait. Indians are the largest expatriate community in Kuwait and for good reasons - they are peace-loving, sincere, hard-working and committed employees in whichever occupation they are. These qualities have endeared them to their Kuwaiti employers. On its part, the Government of India is committed to the welfare and well-being of Indian nationals abroad and the Ministry of Overseas Indians Affairs has initiated a number of welfare schemes and measures including Indian Workers Resource Centre and pension and insurance schemes. It is our endeavour to assist the Indian community and facilitate their well-being. In this regard, we work closely with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Interior and Social Affairs & Labour of Kuwait.
Consular services
KT: Are you satisfied with the consular services currently being offered by the Embassy? Do you see any scope for improvement?
Mehta: We render efficient, prompt and courteous consular services for which we have established two outsourced centres. The quality of services is constantly monitored by us to ensure satisfaction of service-users. We have a daily 'Open House' where any service seeker can meet with senior officers without any prior appointment to seek redress. In addition, I have a weekly Open House on Wednesdays which started in April 2012.
I must say very few people come with problems related to consular services. Yet it is our endeavour to further improve our services. In response to the feedback that our community members who do not live close to the two outsourced centres were facing some difficulties in coming to pick passports, we started an optional courier service in May 2012. The response has been gratifying and over 6,500 people used this service in 2012. We will be happy to adopt any implementable ideas and suggestions within the resource limitations that we have.
Evolution and growth
KT: India is celebrating its 64th Republic Day on January 26. How do you look at the evolution and growth of the Republic over the last six decades?
Mehta: India has come along a long distance since January 26, 1950 when it became a Republic. Democracy has taken deep-roots and institutions, conventions and practices have evolved to strengthen our democracy. Emergence of regional political parties, active participation of people in elections, public discourse and articulation of views, expectations and demands to the government are increasing. This is a good sign as it shows peoples' trust in India's democracy and its institutions. India's economy has witnessed spectacular growth and we are now the third largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity in the world.
Every decade since 1950 has seen higher rate of growth. In the last two decades, India's economy has grown by over 7 percent year-on-year. We can be confident of even better performance in the years ahead. India is now synonymous with excellence in information technology and is fast catching up in the manufacturing sector. Just to give a couple of examples: Last year India exported almost 3 million vehicles all over the world; and bulk of Fortune 500 companies source at least a part of their IT requirements from India.
Knowledge capital
India is emerging as the knowledge capital of the world, with an ever-growing number of companies conducting research and development in India. Bollywood today is the producer of largest number of films enthralling viewers all over the world. Equally pervasive is the presence of skilled Indians who are sought after in practically every country in the world for their skills, peaceful nature and work ethics. But we are not resting on our laurels as we know that a lot still needs to be done.
Challenges
KT: What are the challenges ahead for India?
Mehta: While India has made significant progress in different areas, more needs to be done on the socio-economic front to achieve our national objective of inclusive growth so that the benefits of our economic successes are shared by all. Besides creation of economic opportunities and infrastructure both physical and social, our focus is on poverty alleviation through creation of employment opportunities, provision of basic amenities such as food, clean water, sanitation, health and education to the weaker sections of the society at affordable prices.
Reducing regional disparities, elimination of gender discrimination, building more effective and responsive law and order institutions, reinforcing social norms and mores, and meeting the expectations of the young India are some of the other challenges. While the challenges are formidable, we are undaunted. We have the confidence in the dynamism, resourcefulness, energy and ingenuity of our people and the institutions we have created to address these effectively.
© Kuwait Times 2013
