Venu Menon
Wellington, May 29, 2023
“After Dr S Jaishankar, Hon’ble External Affairs Minister took up the issue with the New Zealand side during his visit in October 2022, there were positive developments. The visa issue of stranded Indians was resolved and many students, including new students, have joined various universities and courses here,” High Commissioner of India to New Zealand Neeta Bhushan has said.
She was speaking to Indian Newslink during an exclusive interview in her office at the High Commission premises on Pipitea Street in Wellington.
It may be recalled that during his visit EAM Jaishankar, in a joint press conference with New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta in Auckland, had urged a “fairer and more sympathetic treatment” for stranded Indian students unable to renew their visas to return to New Zealand to finish their studies.
However, that thorny issue, which was the highlight of the education agreement signed between the two countries back in 2010, found no resonance in Mahuta’s statement issued on the eve of her departure for New Delhi as part of “reconnecting Aotearoa New Zealand to the world.”
Mahuta’s itinerary on that visit included meetings with Jaishankar, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar and Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda. Mahuta also travelled to Mumbai to “promote New Zealand’s education, trade and tourism interests in India’s commercial and industrial capital.”
Whether or not the plight of the stranded Indian students figured in the bilateral exchange between the two ministers, who met on February 7, is not clear in the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement issued after the meeting.
Therefore, High Commissioner Bhushan’s assurance that the visa issue of stranded Indian students has been resolved must be seen in the backdrop of EAM Jaishankar’s observations on the subject during his visit to New Zealand.
However, to a request for data to substantiate her claims, High Commissioner Bhushan said: “I don’t have the exact data that you have requested for.”
Similarly, the reset in immigration rules in the Covid-19 aftermath impacted the flow of migrant workers from India who were unable to return to New Zealand, which has been an area of contention between the two countries.
“I have not seen any message/or complaint from anyone in this regard. I think once New Zealand opened its borders in August last year, many such issues were resolved,” High Commissioner Bhushan noted.
The High Commissioner was upbeat on the India-New Zealand business relationship, saying, “A number of steps are being taken to encourage businesses to look closely at India and establish bases there.”
She pointed to ongoing schemes such as “Make in India,” “Digital India,” “Skill India,” and others, which provided opportunities for entrepreneurs.
“At the High Commission, we are working hard on bringing businesses and people together. A number of events are being organised. For example, on May 31 we are having a symposium at the HCI premises titled “Forging a New Age in India New Zealand relations,” she noted.
She described the upcoming symposium as “a brainstorming session on what further needs to be done to take India-New Zealand ties to the next level.”
The High Commissioner referenced the conference held in April that highlighted the successful collaborations in the agriculture, horticulture and dairy sectors. “We are also facilitating visits by a number of delegations from India to New Zealand and vice-versa.”
She noted in particular that “Invest India provides a lot of support for businesses wanting to establish and expand their footprints in India.”
High Commissioner Bhushan described the meeting between Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Chris Hipkins in Papua New Guinea last week as “an extremely significant milestone.”
She said there was “excellent chemistry between them.”
Commenting on the reception accorded to Modi by the Indian Diaspora during his recent visit to Australia, High Commissioner Bhushan observed: “Our PM is a very dynamic and popular leader, not just in India but all over the world. His vision of “One World, One Earth, One Family resonates across the globe. Our diaspora was overjoyed at this event which was testimony to India’s growing role and contributions in promoting peace and prosperity in the world.”
Venu Menon is an Indian Newslink reporter based in Wellington
