India News exclusive interview with His Excellency Manpreet Vohra

Indian High Commissioner to Australia, Manpreet Vohra, who was appointed as the new ambassador of India to Australia on March 1, 2021, in a recent, exclusive interview with India News underscored the pivotal role that the strategic ties between India and Australia can play in the political, economic and educational context.

How does India look at Australia in its foreign policy calculus especially, with the rise of the significance of the Quad in the recent times?

Well, we are comprehensive strategic partners since June 2020 and that was done with a great degree of expectation and hope, and the belief that Australia is a very right fit for India to elevate our relationship in the Indo-Pacific region. We are countries that think closely together; that share similar challenges and similar objectives because of our common values and approaches to the region and to the problems that we face over here. I think we have great expectations from our partnership with Australia.

Do you think the pandemic will prompt and has prompted both countries to realise that there is a need for deeper bilateral and diplomatic connections between both countries?

Indeed, both countries have realised that; and the strategic partnership was elevated to a strategic partnership in June after the Covid pandemic started. The realisation that there is so much that both countries must and can do together, has been an impetus. So, the Covid pandemic has prompted this particular momentum in elevating the relationship.

Do you think, due to the pandemic, Australia’s image has been impacted as far as it being sort of seen as a preferred destination for Indian students, given the restrictions of both inbound and outbound travel for various international students, more so for Indian students?

Well, obviously the Indian students are disappointed that they have been away from campus for such a long time, and the fact is that since there is no real date when they can expect to be back, that is causing a lot of angst and anxiety. They are a bit worried about what happens to what they signed up for which was, in person, on-campus learning in Australia and that’s not happening. So, I hope very much that ways and means can be found by the universities, state governments and the federal government to come up with a solution, sooner rather than later. There is a lot of frustration setting in now.

Mr Kartik Pratap Singh, India News YouTube Director, interviewing HE Manpreet Vohra

Queensland has growing ties with India as far as trade and business are concerned and also, a growing Indian diaspora. When can we expect an Indian Consulate in Brisbane?

Well, I think our Honorary Consul here, who has been around for a long time, is doing a fabulous job but if we find that a physical presence of a Consulate-General is required, we shall certainly explore that suggestion. But at the moment, we are doing quite well and I am grateful to our Honorary Consul for all the efforts that she is putting in. In your recent observation in the Indian Technology Hub Committee, you said, “There is a need for more action in business and trade while political and diplomatic relations have deepened considerably.” Could you please expand on that?

Yes, I do find that while the economic and trade relationship between India and Australia is quite sound, there is much more that can be done and the numbers can be far more attractive than they are at present, both for trade and investment. I find perhaps that not enough attention is being paid by individual business and corporate houses that actually take commercial decision on either side and, we collectively need to find ways to enthuse those business leaders to pay more attention to the other country and try and do clearly what is possible.

HE Manpreet Vohra with Dr Ram Mohan, Dr Ashutosh Misra, Mr Jim Varghese and Mr Shaun Star

Why have we not been able to formalise the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement and how far are we from inking that?

Well, we engaged in a large number of rounds some years ago and made progress on that. Then, the negotiations got subsumed in the larger negotiations of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) of which both India and Australia were a part and so the bilateral part of it got subsumed, as I said. Then, of course the RCEP did not work and turn out the way we had expected it to. So, then we had to walk away from that and not be a party to that following which, Australia has been very understanding of our position. Now, there is a move again for a bilateral Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement between India and Australia. The two sides are talking about it and I hope that we can begin actual negotiations soon.

What are some of your priorities as the Indian High Commissioner to Australia?

More than one. But, certainly the economic part of our relationship is a very high priority for me. I will certainly put it at the top of my agenda to find ways and means to do more. I also feel that we can do a lot more in terms of educational partnerships. What I mean is, partnerships between academic institutions, universities, more exchanges between them, more collaborations and more joint research. I think there is much that can be done because the strengths of the Australian higher educational institutes and the Indian ones are very complementary. I believe that it can be a win-win if they synergise that. So, that would be another priority. A third priority would be to try and see how some very important research, innovation and invention that come out of Australian institutes and organisations can be monetized and commercialized using India as a springboard for the orders because if orders for those particular researches and inventions were to come from India, I think taking those inventions up to scale would be much easier and once again, that ought to be a very important and attractive idea for Australian organisations. So, I would hope to work with them to see how they can partner with Indian counterpart organisations and industry much more.

H.E. Manpreet Vohra with AIBC members