DARPAN Canada. For the Indian Diaspora it has great historical significance as the first immigrants from India arrived here in 1904 and established themselves in British Columbia. So, Vancouver has a very old connection with India and today the Greater Vancouver area has one of the most thriving population of Indian descent in Canada. The city has it own charm and it grows on you with passage of time. I am also very impressed with the enterprising spirit of the people of Greater Vancouver. Although the Covid-19 restrictions have prevented regular contacts, but I have been able to meet in person or virtually some of the most interesting people here from all walks of life. I look forward to explore the place and meet new people in the near future when life returns to normal.
MR. MANISH
CONSUL GENERAL OF INDIA IN VANCOUVER “People here have to understand two things – no government that is democratically elected works against its own people to whom it has to go back to seek re-election every five years; and that India is going through a process of necessary reforms in many sectors, including in the agriculture sector.”
Photo: Indian Consulate, Vancouver
1 Prior to becoming the Consul General of India in Vancouver, where were you posted and what was your role?
Before assuming the duties of Consul General of India, I was posted at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi. In Delhi, I worked briefly in the Sushma Swaraj Foreign Service Institute. I also served as Joint Secretary managing India’s bilateral relationship with ASEAN countries, Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Island Countries, and later in the Overseas Indian Affairs Division. In terms of my overseas assignment, I got the opportunity to serve in Moscow, Tashkent, Prague, Colombo and Jakarta. In between my overseas assignment I also served in MEA in various roles looking after bilateral and multilateral affairs. 2 What were you looking forward
to the most as the Consul General of India in Vancouver
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Reflecting The South-Asian Lifestyle
I was very excited at the thought of bringing my contribution to further our relationship between India and the five important provinces in Western Canada, namely British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Yukon and Northwest Territories. I looked forward to building on the existing trade relations between India and these provinces. Since three of these five provinces also have a large number of people of Indian descent, I was particularly excited that as India’s Consul General in Vancouver I am getting an opportunity to connect with them and bring them the Consular services that they need and expect from their Consulate. Western Canada is very important in overall India-Canada relationship, and since it was my first assignment in this part of the world, I looked forward to my assignment. 3 How has your experience in Vancouver been so far?
Vancouver is not only a beautiful city but it is also a trade gateway to Western
DARPAN
TM
4 What are some of the challenges you would have to overcome in your current role of Consul General?
Every diplomat aspires to leave a legacy of better relations between the host country and his own. Building even more closer ties between India and the respective provinces under my jurisdiction and enhancing two-way trade and investments are the two main focus areas for me. However, to achieve these objectives we need support of the other side. British Columbia remains our largest trading partner in Western Canada and I believe that much more can be done together. I am very happy to state that Saskatchewan and Alberta have emerged as very key provinces where we have a clear mutual understanding that trade and investments are a growing part of our relationship. In fact, Saskatchewan has recently opened a trade office in New Delhi. Our trade relations with Yukon and Northwest Territories are currently very small. 5 With the farmer’s protest and with lots of families living in Vancouver being impacted by it, what role can your office play to ensure a peaceful resolution to this conflict?
People here have to understand two things – no government that is democratically elected works against its own people to whom it has to go back to seek re-election every five years; and that India is going through a process of necessary reforms in many sectors, including in the agriculture sector, which employs 60% population that contributes 18% to our GDP. The Government of India, with a view to bring greater productivity and prosperity to the agricultural sector in India, has introduced legislation to reform India’s agricultural markets. While these reforms have been appreciated by farmers in several
Indian provinces, some farmers’ unions have also registered their protest. These internal developments in India’s vibrant democracy have also had an echo in Canada, with some organizations mobilizing opinion and protests in keeping with their provincial affinities in India. Canadian media has also devoted significant attention to these developments although most coverage has not been very objective and lacking in understanding of the farm bills. The enactment of these laws is part of the government’s promise to the people of India to double the income of India’s farmers – a segment that has long remained among the most poor and vulnerable in the country. It is part of our ongoing efforts to modernize India’s economy and it is only natural that entrenched and established interests, which are often very powerful and well-funded, would seek to oppose such changes. The envisaged reforms in the agricultural sector in India are of a transformational nature and would create conditions for prosperity and empowerment of the largest segment of India’s population. The ultimate beneficiaries of these reforms are the small and marginal farmers of India who have been shackled by a traditional system that does not remunerate innovation and enterprise. The new laws have been enacted by the Parliament of India after due process and debate. This was preceded by much debate and discussion, including in a series of committees and commissions established over the past two decades that repeatedly suggested such reforms. The quest to improve the life of its poor farmers, the legislative process by which those goals are sought to be achieved, the peaceful protests that are natural with such change and the process to find a consensus are all Indian. The Indian Constitution provides sufficient avenues in the executive, legislative and judicial domains for resolution of such matters in a peaceful manner. The people of India look to their overseas friends for support and understanding as they go through this process. 6 What’s your take of current India-Canada relations? What can be done further to strengthen the ties between the two nations?
India-Canada bilateral ties are underpinned by shared values of democracy, pluralism, expanding economic engagement, regular high-level interactions and long-standing people-to-people ties. India attaches great importance in taking forward its strategic partnership with Canada. We have very good economic linkages, but more needs to be done to further deepen the economic relations. India’s rapid and sustained
