Interview with Indian High Commissioner, Sujatha Singh

Mrs Sujatha Singh, Indian High Commissioner to Australia talks to Rohit Revo, on a wide range of topics including key issues that connect Australia and India.

Mrs Sujatha Singh joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1976 with postings to Bonn, Accra and Paris. From 1997 – 2000, she served with the Embassy of India in Bangkok as Deputy High Commissioner and India’s representative to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok. High Commissioner Singh was then posted to Milan as Consul General of India before being appointed Joint Secretary heading the division handling relations with Western Europe in the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi 2004 – 2007.

The outsourcing of the visa applications has got the community excited as well as relieved. What is the feedback you are receiving on the new service model?

I am glad to say that the process of outsourcing of visa, passport and OCI services has been successfully completed. The waiting time for all these services has been significantly reduced. Applications can be tracked online. In a few weeks, payment for services by Credit Card will be accepted. Queues at visa offices in Sydney and Melbourne have greatly reduced.
The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.  There are still some complaints, basically relating to the answering of telephone queries, which the service provider, M/s VFS is addressing by putting in more lines.

Is there a plan to go regional as well in the long term for visa outsourcing?

There are six centres in all in Australia – Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.  Depending upon the demand for passport and visa services, other centres can also be considered in future.

Australia for some reasons has not been on the Indian horizon in the same league as US or other European countries, for some reasons and we haven’t seen the visit of any Indian PM since the last 18 years. This is long pending. Can we see something in this direction this year?

Our Prime Minister is interested in visiting Australia.  We hope to see such a visit taking place in the near future. However, this does not mean that Australia is not on India’s horizon. The recent successful visit of our External Affairs Minister would have indicated the importance that India attaches to its relationship with Australia.

There is a notion that Australia is not quite open yet about providing access to Indian companies when it comes to banking and some agricultural commodities like mangos and bananas. Is something being done about this?

Commercial and economic interaction between India and Australia has been increasing. Trade and other economic activities, of course, have to be in accordance with the regulations of both the countries.  In the banking sector, the State Bank of India branch in Sydney has recently received approval for enhancing its activities under the trade finance license. We have been interested for some time in export of Indian mangoes to Australia and the issue has been discussed regularly between the two countries.  We are hopeful that Indian mangoes would be available to Australian consumers soon, possibly next year.

Do you think that on field issues during the recent cricket tour have the potential of hurting relations off field between the two countries?

Cricket has greatly contributed to mutual awareness in Australia and India at the popular level. Despite any differences, our common passion for cricket will continue to provide a uniting bond between our peoples. You would have seen the great bonhomie that existed between Indian and Australian players during the Indian Premier League and the high admiration in which the Australian players were held. I am also happy to note that the great interest with which the IPL series was followed in Australia.

What is your vision for the Australia-India relations in short term and well as long term?

India-Australia relations have been expanding rapidly in the last few years. We are committed to further strengthening and expanding our relations. There is further scope for expanding our trade, as well as cooperation in areas such as science & technology, information & communication technology, energy, defence, education, agro-industries and tourism. I hope that the opportunities in these areas would be utilized fully in the near future. In the longer term, I would like to see Australia emerge as a major supplier of liquefied natural gas to India, a partnership in the resources sector encompassing larger mutual investments and joint projects, and also a growing partnership in advanced technological areas and renewable energy, and a growing strategic partnership.

Can you provide us an update regarding expected high profile visits from India of senior government ministers during this year.

We have already seen seven high level Ministerial visits in the first six months of this year. I am glad to say that all these visits have been eminently successful in taking the India-Australia relationship. Our Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Mr. Kapil Sibal had visited Australia in February; Minister for Panchayati Raj, Youth Affairs & Sports and Development of North Eastern Region Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyar visited in March. In May, Minister for Commerce Mr. Kamal Nath and MOS for Civil Aviation Mr. Praful Patel visited. MOS for Steel Mr. Jitin Prasada visited in June.

The most recent visit was of our External Affairs Minister Mr. Pranab Mukherjee on 23 June. Both sides committed to taking the relationship to a new, higher level. They noted that existing and new forms of cooperation in a wide range of areas exemplified the growing depth and breadth of the Australia-India partnership.

EAM raised our concerns about the recent attacks on Indian students. Foreign Minister Smith noted that the safety and security of students was an important issue and assured that the Australian government, both at the federal and state level, would be monitoring the issue so that our students were re-assured.
In the area of defence, there will be regular talks at the level of Chief of Defence Force. An Extradition Treaty and Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters were also signed during the visit.

What is the feedback you have been getting regarding the Indian Diaspora from the people of Australian establishment?

The Indian community is well regarded in Australia.  Their contribution, in particular of Indian medical professionals, and I.T. engineers has been widely recognized.

What is your message for the Indian community here?

The Indian community has adapted well here and is making a useful contribution to the social and economic life of Australia. They have also maintained their cultural linkages with India. Each member of the Indian community members is an Ambassador for India in Australia. I would like to encourage them to keep up their good work.

I would also request the senior and well established members of our community to look at ways and means of assisting the younger and new members who have recently arrived and help them in the process of integrating successfully with the larger Australian society. Those who have been here for some time are also in a position to advise and assist the newcomers, in particular students. It is necessary for all of us to build bridges, both within our own community as well as with the Australian community.  I convey my greetings to all members of the community and wish them success in their endeavours.

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