ITA hosts India, NZ High Commissioners
Amongst many 'firsts', ITA was the first to host the newly-appointed High Commissioner of India at his first ever public engagement in the country. Another first was the coming together of the two High Commissioners.
India Trade Alliance hosted a unique event hosting the High Commissioner of New Zealand in India and his Indian counterpart in New Zealand in Auckland this week.
Grahame Morton, NZ High Commissioner to India and Sanjiv Kohli, India's newly-appointed High Commissioner to New Zealand addressed a gathering of businesspeople at the PwC Towers on Quay Street on Tuesday, March 15.
High Commissioner Morton, who began his tenure during the 2014 Indian elections, spoke admiringly of the country's democratic process and the complex logistics of holding elections in the world's largest democracy of sub-continental proportions. He said the present Indian government had brought in greater transparency in a number of areas especially in the energy, infrastructure and telecommunications sector clearing up many of the legacy systems that had given rise to allegations of widespread corruption and favouritism. He said this augured well for international investors investing in India and that the world needed to look at Indian investment with a fresh set of eyes.
New Zealand, he said, was still a small player in the 'Make in India' programme, which was mainly about the large industry, infrastructure and mega investment projects, beyond the league of New Zealand's scale. However, he said that as time passes the Make in India programme would look at the smaller more specialist ideas that New Zealand had to offer and said that long term, India and New Zealand had much to gain from building the already longstanding and strong relationship.
High Commissioner Kohli, whose real life role as a diplomat during the Yemen crisis—which resulted in one of the biggest evacuations in human history—has been celebrated in a film on the subject titled 'Airlift'. Only two weeks old in his new assignment, Mr Kohli said that the India New Zealand relationship was strong and one that rested on many pillars—cultural, business, scientific and sporting among others. He said that the relationship needed to be strengthened with more interaction at different levels.
Answering a question he revealed that a new approach to India's external affairs ministry encouraged external investors and businesspeople to approach states directly for projects. This is a departure from a previously centralised mechanism for approval of projects. This federalist thinking was the present Government's approach to economic development in many areas, Mr Kohli said.
ITA delegation: walking the talk
Welcoming the two High Commissioners and the audience, ITA Chairman Giriraj Gupta outlined the highlights of his recent visit to India. Mr Gupta and ITA General Secretary Sunil Kaushal were invitees of the Chief Minister of Haryana at the 'Happening Haryana' event earlier this month.
While at Happening Haryana ITA also signed a MoU to further strengthen the Business to Business bonds with the state of Haryana businesses, with the Federation of Indian Industries—an APEX body, which has been created to cater for Haryana business. The MoU, which was signed in the presence of Haryana Agriculture Minister, Renewable Energy Minister, Child Welfare Development Minister and NZ Member of Parliament MrKanwaljit Singh Bakshi.
The ITA delegation also had a private audience with the Chief Minister of Haryana, Mr Mohan Lal Khattar where they discussed various sectors in detail and collaborative approach needed to grow these sectors in the two countries.
Besides meeting the Chief Minister of Haryana, the ITA officials met Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj and senior politician Sharad Pawar as well as Amitabh Kant, the architect and the mastermind behind projects such as Make in India and Incredible India, who is also the head of Niti Ayog, the new organisation that has replaced India's erstwhile Planning Commission, which sets out future milestones for India's economic and social development and general progress.
Needless to say, ITA remains focused on delivering results for its members and promises an eventful year ahead, if the recent efforts and events are anything to go by.
Amongst many 'firsts', ITA was the first to host the newly-appointed High Commissioner of India at his first ever public engagement in the country. Another first was the coming together of the two High Commissioners.
India Trade Alliance hosted a unique event hosting the High Commissioner of New...
Amongst many 'firsts', ITA was the first to host the newly-appointed High Commissioner of India at his first ever public engagement in the country. Another first was the coming together of the two High Commissioners.
India Trade Alliance hosted a unique event hosting the High Commissioner of New Zealand in India and his Indian counterpart in New Zealand in Auckland this week.
Grahame Morton, NZ High Commissioner to India and Sanjiv Kohli, India's newly-appointed High Commissioner to New Zealand addressed a gathering of businesspeople at the PwC Towers on Quay Street on Tuesday, March 15.
High Commissioner Morton, who began his tenure during the 2014 Indian elections, spoke admiringly of the country's democratic process and the complex logistics of holding elections in the world's largest democracy of sub-continental proportions. He said the present Indian government had brought in greater transparency in a number of areas especially in the energy, infrastructure and telecommunications sector clearing up many of the legacy systems that had given rise to allegations of widespread corruption and favouritism. He said this augured well for international investors investing in India and that the world needed to look at Indian investment with a fresh set of eyes.
New Zealand, he said, was still a small player in the 'Make in India' programme, which was mainly about the large industry, infrastructure and mega investment projects, beyond the league of New Zealand's scale. However, he said that as time passes the Make in India programme would look at the smaller more specialist ideas that New Zealand had to offer and said that long term, India and New Zealand had much to gain from building the already longstanding and strong relationship.
High Commissioner Kohli, whose real life role as a diplomat during the Yemen crisis—which resulted in one of the biggest evacuations in human history—has been celebrated in a film on the subject titled 'Airlift'. Only two weeks old in his new assignment, Mr Kohli said that the India New Zealand relationship was strong and one that rested on many pillars—cultural, business, scientific and sporting among others. He said that the relationship needed to be strengthened with more interaction at different levels.
Answering a question he revealed that a new approach to India's external affairs ministry encouraged external investors and businesspeople to approach states directly for projects. This is a departure from a previously centralised mechanism for approval of projects. This federalist thinking was the present Government's approach to economic development in many areas, Mr Kohli said.
ITA delegation: walking the talk
Welcoming the two High Commissioners and the audience, ITA Chairman Giriraj Gupta outlined the highlights of his recent visit to India. Mr Gupta and ITA General Secretary Sunil Kaushal were invitees of the Chief Minister of Haryana at the 'Happening Haryana' event earlier this month.
While at Happening Haryana ITA also signed a MoU to further strengthen the Business to Business bonds with the state of Haryana businesses, with the Federation of Indian Industries—an APEX body, which has been created to cater for Haryana business. The MoU, which was signed in the presence of Haryana Agriculture Minister, Renewable Energy Minister, Child Welfare Development Minister and NZ Member of Parliament MrKanwaljit Singh Bakshi.
The ITA delegation also had a private audience with the Chief Minister of Haryana, Mr Mohan Lal Khattar where they discussed various sectors in detail and collaborative approach needed to grow these sectors in the two countries.
Besides meeting the Chief Minister of Haryana, the ITA officials met Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj and senior politician Sharad Pawar as well as Amitabh Kant, the architect and the mastermind behind projects such as Make in India and Incredible India, who is also the head of Niti Ayog, the new organisation that has replaced India's erstwhile Planning Commission, which sets out future milestones for India's economic and social development and general progress.
Needless to say, ITA remains focused on delivering results for its members and promises an eventful year ahead, if the recent efforts and events are anything to go by.
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