INCOMING INDIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER H.E. MR. GITEN SARMA’S VISION TO TAKE INDIA-AUSTRALIA RELATIONS TO GREATER HEIGHTS

By: Raj Natarajan

Recently the Consul General of India in Sydney organized a reception to welcome the incoming High Commissioner of India to Australia, H.E. Mr. Giten Sarma who took office in Canberra in November 2019. H.E. Mr. Anumula Giten Sarma hails from Hyderabad and has a distinguished diplomatic career which includes overseas assignments in Indian Missions in Russia, Ukraine, Hong Kong, Pakistan and United Kingdom and has been Ambassador of India to Uzbekistan, Fiji and Vanuatu and H.E. Mr. Giten Sarma will replace H.E. Mr AM Gondane as the High Commissioner to Australia. Prior to arriving in Australia, H.E Mr. Sarma served as the Secretary (West) in Indian government’s Ministry of External Affairs until November 2019.

The invitees to the reception hosted by the Consul General, H.E. Mr. Manish Gupta included politicians, a cross section of the Indian community and the members of the media. Addressing the gathering, the High Commissioner explained his own connection with Australia which began at the school level which had Australian Teachers. At the outset High Commissioner praised the resolve of the Australian people while facing calamities of bush fire which engulfed the country recently bringing immense suffering to the people in the bush, in particular and also unimaginable loss of flora and fauna. The High Commissioner said the Indian Government fully appreciated the reason for the cancellation of Prime Minister Hon. Scott Morrison’s visit to India to deal with the situation at home but added that Indian Prime Minister will look forward to welcoming the Australian Prime Minister when his visit is rescheduled to take place sometime in future.

The High Commissioner said that Australia has always been closely linked with India although both countries are physically separated by the Indian Ocean. Following the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Australia in 2014, growth of India – Australia bilateral relations has reached new heights. There was a time, in 1960s and 70s when India Australia relations were confined only to the exchange of Cricket series between the two countries. Previous Prime Minister of Australia, Hon. John Howard once remarked, while addressing Australia- India Business council, that it is surprising that the bilateral relations, especially trade relations, between the two countries hasn’t grown over the years in spite of the fact that the two countries have so much in common. Both Australia and India are members of Commonwealth of Nations, both have adopted Westminster democratic system of government, while India is the biggest democracy, Australia is a model democracy, both countries have strong and independent judicial system to ensure rule of law and of course love of Cricket has played an important part of the growing relationship between both countries.

Being the highest diplomatic representation of India in Australia, the office of the High Commissioner plays a very important role in furthering the bilateral relations between the two countries, along with the offices of Consulate General of India in the major cities. H.E. Mr. Giten Sarma says that the trade relationship between the two countries is underpinned by the fact that Australia is a country of huge resources and India is a country always hungry for resources to support its record economic growth. This is a perfect fit, the High Commissioner says and adds that already Indian mining companies are in Australia to exploit this unique opportunity.

H.E. Mr. Giten Sarma says that India is an emerging economic giant and compares it to a caged tiger which is freed and it is only a matter of time that this tiger will start flexing its muscles. With 1.2 billion population, India presents an enormous market place for all the countries which are looking to grow their bilateral trade relations with India. The High Commissioner quotes one of the terms used in a news paper column which calls India a universal country and this is because India is a very diverse country be it climate or food or culture or language. Therefore India is a country of countries and one can find opportunities in every sector of commerce and technology. Business men and women are the finest ambassadors as they don’t recognise the political boundaries to grow the  business opportunities when they present themselves.

The High Commissioner gave some examples of the top executives of the USA’s corporate world like Satya Nadella, Sundar Pichai and Indira Nooi who have Indian heritage and who have demonstrated that business and technical skills of Indians are second to none and he expects the Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in the rest of the World including Australia to be at the forefront of corporate leadership in the near future. These skill sets of Indian business men & women, scientists and technocrats, H.E. Mr. Giten Sarma adds, are tempered by the fact that India is the second largest English speaking country in the World and predicts that India will become the largest English speaking country sooner than later. This English language skill advantage, The High Commissioner thinks, makes NRI Indian Executives to assimilate quickly in the developed English speaking countries, like Australia and realise their full potential as Industry leaders. The High Commissioner reiterated the fact that India’s biggest resource is its 400 million plus educated youth population and they would ensure that business and technical resources required for India’s bourgeoning growth is adequately met in the future.

On a lighter note The High Commissioner noted that in today’s global world Australia’s heroes are India’s heroes and cited the example of one of the best cricketer of the World who plays for Hyderabad, his home town, which is the captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad of IPL cricket competition, David Warner! The High Commissioner said he is very proud of what Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) have achieved all over the World and advised the NRIs of Australia to integrate well with the local population and play that important role of being the glue that binds India and Australia together.