Sydney-India flights likely soon
Travel to India could soon become easier for New Zealanders if initiatives by the Indian High Commissioner to NZ are successful.
High Commissioner Avanindra Kumar Pandey, in a recent interview with the Indian Weekender, said they were looking at persuading Air India to begin Sydney-India services.
“We are trying to persuade Indian Airlines (Air India) to come to Sydney, if not New Zealand,” Mr Pandey said.
The move could cut travel times and ease travel hassles for thousands from New Zealand, who, at the moment, have to travel Malaysian Airlines, Thai Air, or Singapore Airlines in a long-haul 21-23 hour flight to either Delhi or Mumbai.
“Since there is not much traffic between India and New Zealand, it is not practical to have a direct flight from here but if there is a direct flight from Sydney to Mumbai or Delhi, it will be easier for people.”
Direct flights from Sydney to India were this week welcomed by a local travel agent who said the arrangement would cut travel times by half.
He said the initiative by Mr Pandey was worthy and would stand to benefit the region as a whole.
Mr Pandey also said closer ties between the two countries was on the agenda of his term in office.
“We are also trying to improve relations between India and New Zealand. As you know, there have been a number of Ministry visits from New Zealand to India this year – visits almost every month,” Mr Pandey said.
“So that has been the result of our effort to improve the dialogue between the two countries because if the dialogue improves and the relations warm up further, it will help the Indian community,” he said.
“We are also looking at creating city-to-city links by trying to forge a sister city relationship between Wellington and Delhi. This is just an idea though and I don’t know how feasible it is. But if it is feasible, we will push it further.
Among discussing the various issues that needed immediate attention, Mr Pandey said he would take the necessary steps to resume talks of providing assistance to Indian businessmen here in order to help them give back to the home country, as initiated by the former High Commissioner, Retired Admiral Suresh Mehta.
“Improving our visa and counsellor services is on the agenda as of now although broadly we have received no complaints. We are trying to improve the contact and interface with the Indian community so that in times of emergency or urgent need, visa and counsellor services can be quickly sought out.
During the tenure of Admiral Mehta, there were talks of assisting the Indian business community in New Zealand to create avenues for them to give back to the home country. A conference was organised to discuss the same and a few businessmen came forward with suggestions too, only that they required bureaucratic assistance from the Indian High Commission.
“I think it’s a very good idea and the people who thought of it were very far sighted people,” Mr Pandey said.
“Through this initiative, the relations will only strengthen and the power and ability of the Indian private sector will grow too. Hence, it is good to establish contacts so that work can be conducted in accordance with mutual needs. Thus, it will be my effort to see that this idea is built and developed further,” he said.
He said the Indian Embassy was not in a position to do much about the struggling job scenario for Indian immigrants in New Zealand.
“With respect to students too (NZ being the new hub of education now, attracting a huge number of students from India), there is a sheer lack of assistance in providing students with suitable jobs in order to help them fend for themselves during the study period,” Mr Pandey said.
“We are not qualified to give guidance on student job search or jobs for immigrants. Only New Zealand authorities can as they know New Zealand better than we do.
“Having said that, we are working on a government to government level to improve the openings for Indians who wish to enter the jobs and services market in NZ.”
Travel to India could soon become easier for New Zealanders if initiatives by the Indian High Commissioner to NZ are successful. High Commissioner Avanindra Kumar Pandey, in a recent interview with the Indian Weekender, said they were looking at persuading Air India to begin Sydney-India...
Travel to India could soon become easier for New Zealanders if initiatives by the Indian High Commissioner to NZ are successful.
High Commissioner Avanindra Kumar Pandey, in a recent interview with the Indian Weekender, said they were looking at persuading Air India to begin Sydney-India services.
“We are trying to persuade Indian Airlines (Air India) to come to Sydney, if not New Zealand,” Mr Pandey said.
The move could cut travel times and ease travel hassles for thousands from New Zealand, who, at the moment, have to travel Malaysian Airlines, Thai Air, or Singapore Airlines in a long-haul 21-23 hour flight to either Delhi or Mumbai.
“Since there is not much traffic between India and New Zealand, it is not practical to have a direct flight from here but if there is a direct flight from Sydney to Mumbai or Delhi, it will be easier for people.”
Direct flights from Sydney to India were this week welcomed by a local travel agent who said the arrangement would cut travel times by half.
He said the initiative by Mr Pandey was worthy and would stand to benefit the region as a whole.
Mr Pandey also said closer ties between the two countries was on the agenda of his term in office.
“We are also trying to improve relations between India and New Zealand. As you know, there have been a number of Ministry visits from New Zealand to India this year – visits almost every month,” Mr Pandey said.
“So that has been the result of our effort to improve the dialogue between the two countries because if the dialogue improves and the relations warm up further, it will help the Indian community,” he said.
“We are also looking at creating city-to-city links by trying to forge a sister city relationship between Wellington and Delhi. This is just an idea though and I don’t know how feasible it is. But if it is feasible, we will push it further.
Among discussing the various issues that needed immediate attention, Mr Pandey said he would take the necessary steps to resume talks of providing assistance to Indian businessmen here in order to help them give back to the home country, as initiated by the former High Commissioner, Retired Admiral Suresh Mehta.
“Improving our visa and counsellor services is on the agenda as of now although broadly we have received no complaints. We are trying to improve the contact and interface with the Indian community so that in times of emergency or urgent need, visa and counsellor services can be quickly sought out.
During the tenure of Admiral Mehta, there were talks of assisting the Indian business community in New Zealand to create avenues for them to give back to the home country. A conference was organised to discuss the same and a few businessmen came forward with suggestions too, only that they required bureaucratic assistance from the Indian High Commission.
“I think it’s a very good idea and the people who thought of it were very far sighted people,” Mr Pandey said.
“Through this initiative, the relations will only strengthen and the power and ability of the Indian private sector will grow too. Hence, it is good to establish contacts so that work can be conducted in accordance with mutual needs. Thus, it will be my effort to see that this idea is built and developed further,” he said.
He said the Indian Embassy was not in a position to do much about the struggling job scenario for Indian immigrants in New Zealand.
“With respect to students too (NZ being the new hub of education now, attracting a huge number of students from India), there is a sheer lack of assistance in providing students with suitable jobs in order to help them fend for themselves during the study period,” Mr Pandey said.
“We are not qualified to give guidance on student job search or jobs for immigrants. Only New Zealand authorities can as they know New Zealand better than we do.
“Having said that, we are working on a government to government level to improve the openings for Indians who wish to enter the jobs and services market in NZ.”
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