Exclusive
Appointment of a Community Liaison Officer, innovative solutions and services on the cards
Vineeta Rao
Auckland, March 26, 2025
Consul-General of India in Auckland Dr Madan Mohan Sethi has announced plans to offer mobile consul services, free job skills training and trade support to Indian migrant communities.
He spoke to Indian Newslink Reporter Vineeta Rao about many innovative services and facilities for communities seeking them.
He said that as the Consulate moves from its current temporary offices on the 13th Floor of SAP Towers at 151 Queen Street in the Auckland Central Business District to its permanent offices on the 14th Floor, several innovative services will be implemented.
A Seasoned Diplomat
In today’s world of interconnectivity and networks, the role of a diplomat in fostering mutual understanding and collaboration between nations is pivotal. The appointment of Dr Madan Mohan Sethi to the position of Consul General of India to Auckland, Waikato and North Island signifies the strong focus of the Indian government on nurturing Indo-Kiwi ties, focusing on trade, shared global concerns and culture.
Dr Sethi comes with a wealth of experience and is an alumnus of the Maharaja Krishna Chandra Gajapati (MKCG) Medical College and Hospital, Berhampur, Odisha. He entered the Indian Foreign Service in 2006 and worked in many Diplomatic Missions of India abroad and at the External Affairs Ministry in New Delhi. Prior to his current assignment, he was the Consul General of India to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where he rapidly gained a reputation for developing strong and enduring trade ties between the two countries.
Dr Sethi has only been in New Zealand since November 2024, but his Office is already bustling with ideas and activity.
Luxon’s visit to India
Dr Sethi said that the visit of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to India last week was a milestone in the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
“We understand the importance of New Zealand. We have a few areas of interest that we are mutually working on – Agriculture and Agriculture Production, Food Processing, Dairy Sector and Meat (may be restricted to Lamb). We are also very interested in some of the innovative things which New Zealand has done in Renewable Energy, Construction of Non-Seismic Houses, and Financial Technology,” he said.
Dr Sethi said that his main focus would be to connect as many importers and exporters as possible with their counterparts from India.
“If they want partnership for increased production or entering into a larger market, the office of the Consul General can support them connecting to counterpart Indian companies. We will talk to the Business Chambers and Associations to lead delegations here. Our first delegation of New Zealand businesses will be heading to India very soon, perhaps in June,” he said.
As a part of his efforts to boost trade ties, Dr Sethi is organising an online business meeting on 31st March 2025 between some entrepreneurs in Odisha and New Zealand Green Building Council Members. Later in the year, he plans to hold the first meeting of tourism companies in Odisha with their counterparts in New Zealand.
Dr Sethi said that he was taking a holistic approach and would work with all the States in India and Auckland, Whangarei and Waikato.
“We will address all commercial queries from those who want to know more about the rules, regulations and procedures for imports and exports between the two countries,” he said.
Dr Sethi said that he has a good team and that customers can expect improved and increased services shortly. Most of them are recruited locally and are being trained to provide various services and facilities.
Strengthening Contacts
Dr Sethi acknowledged the imbalance of trade between India and New Zealand (with the Balance of Payments favourable to the latter) and hopes to take remedial measures. Auckland is the financial and commercial heart of New Zealand, and measures to improve our engagement are being implemented, he said.
“Between 20 and 30 business meetings have been planned over the next nine months. We hope to invite the Mayors of small and big cities to take a trade delegation to India. We will invite Indian business associations and State governments to lead their delegations here. Some Indian states have already started sending government officials to food processing companies here, and we aim to expand this to other industries and sectors,” he said.
Dr Sethi said that he is in contact with about 300 New Zealand companies to improve trade policies and processes. He said that Commerce is always fascinating and that the Consulate General of India in Auckland will be ‘An Office of Trust.’ Promises made will be delivered, he said.
NZ-Indian FTA
India and New Zealand understand the importance of a Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA), but there are some challenges, including distance, lack of shipping lines and others, he said.
“We have signed a Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement with Australia. So, the idea is certainly being considered. Let us wait for the developments following the visit of the New Zealand Prime Minister to India last week,” he said.
The Theatre has shifted to the Indo-Pacific.
Dr Sethi said that India has a very good friendship with the US, Australia and Japan as members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad).
“But New Zealand and other Oceania countries are also important and valuable to India. We have also increased our engagement in this region and are collaborating with smaller Pasifika countries for various community projects, including education projects and IT sector development. I believe that the relationship with New Zealand will increase and improve,” he said.
Services to the Indian Diaspora
Dr Sethi said that he and his team are working on issues that are important to the Indian community, such as visa processing times.
“I took charge as Consul General of India in Auckland about 110 days ago. Since then, I have met hundreds of members of the Indian Diaspora, including the elderly. I do not want these senior citizens, especially those who live in smaller places, to travel long distances to come to our Consulate just for one Certificate or document. I am therefore planning to introduce mobile services. We hope to place two vehicles to provide services at Consular Camps. We plan to go to specific locations in regions that are convenient for people to access services such as obtaining a Life Certificate or Police Clearance Certificate,” he said.
Dr Sethi is planning to hold such Consular Camps in five to ten locations in the Northland region, five locations in the Waikato region, and Auckland. He hopes to appoint a member of the community to be a Liaison Officer for the Consulate to connect the people to a predetermined venue at which the Consulate General staff will collect documents and payments and later process them.
“We have requested the New Zealand government to allow legitimate, documented visitors while increasing the financial penalty for undocumented visitors to deter them. I hope that our guest government will also amend its policy to be more flexible towards Indians as we form a large percentage of the global workforce. Many countries need Indian workers to promote economic growth and exports. So, they have to see how they can engage with Indians or the Indian government on a larger platform,” he said.
The Challenges
Dr Sethi said that he is seeking people’s support, understanding and cooperation as the Consulate General’s office settles down at its new location on the 13th Floor, 151 Queen Street, Auckland CBD.
There is a perceptible increase in the visa applications traffic, he said, adding that 115 applications were received on a single day recently.
“I wish to use the Indian Newslink platform to reach out to our Indian community and inform them that as visa and consular service are sensitive jobs because of the security aspect, things sometimes take time. We request that people understand that Wellington and Auckland have separate systems for security reasons. Therefore, a document submitted to Wellington cannot be delivered by the Auckland Office,” he said.
Dr Sethi said that every day he receives at least five emails from the members of the community and that an additional complement of staff from India will help to deliver services faster and with greater efficiency. The Consulate General’s permanent Office in the current premises (SAP Towers) is being prepared with appropriate facilities.
The Great Expectations
As the first Consul General of India in Auckland, Dr Sethi feels the high expectations placed on his shoulders, which he hopes to meet during his tenure.
“I hope to travel extensively throughout Auckland, Waikato and Northland to understand how our Indian communities live and work. We hope to offer Indian migrants training facilities to help them upskill in collaboration with local associations and training providers. Among our other initiatives include speakers and trainers from India to conduct online or in-person training programmes free of cost. Indians are known for honesty, integrity and hard work and with proper upskilling, they will perform even better,” he said.
Vineeta Rao is an Indian Newslink Reporter based in Auckland.
