Message of HE Mr. Satish C Mehta, Ambassador of India to Kuwait,
on the 64th Republic Day of India
On the occasion of the 64th Republic Day of India, I convey my warm greetings and good wishes to all Indian nationals in Kuwait as well as to our Kuwaiti and other friends.
On this important day in 1950, the Constitution of India came into effect and India became a sovereign, secular and democratic Republic. Our Constitution encapsulated our values and beliefs of equality, justice, freedom of thought, speech and choice, rule of law and secularism. It has stood the test of time and India has blossomed into a participatory and caring democracy. As envisioned by our founding fathers, India has also stood for peace and harmony around the world. Besides being the world’s largest democracy, India is also one of the most diverse countries where many different faiths, languages, ethnicities and cultures coexist peacefully.In fact, unity in diversity has been our leit motif.
Political consolidation in India was accompanied by efforts to transform our agrarian economy into a modern economy. India today is the third largest economy in the world in terms of purchasing power parity.Despite economic downturns in various parts of the world, as a result of prudent economic policies and management and attractive investment policies, in the last two decades, India has averaged a 7% growth, second highest among major economies. It is one of the most preferred destinations for foreign investments. Indiais endowed with a large middle class that is creating a huge domestic market. It is also one of the youngest nations in the world, with more than half of its population in the working age group. This demographic dividend is expected to significantly contribute to India’s growth in the coming years.
Our emphasis on promoting science and technology is paying handsome dividends. We now have the third largest pool of qualified scientific and technical manpower in the world. Indiais amongst the few countries which can develop and launch its own remote sensing satellites or has full spectrum of nuclear technology. Our IT and IT Enabled Services sector, with a revenue of US$ 100 billion last year has elevated the country as a software giant and a global outsourcing hub for business and knowledge processes.India is fast emerging as a key centre for research and development. The day is not far when India would become the knowledge capital of the world.
A large domestic market, availability of skilled and talented manpower, attractive policies, and a dynamic private sector hungry to grow is contributing to India’s emergence as a major manufacturing hub. To give an example, there is hardly a major international automobile company that does not or is not planning to have a manufacturing plant in India. We manufactured 20 million vehicles of all variety and exported about 3 million units last year.
Creation of infrastructure, essential for economic development, is receiving the highest priority. In the last 5 years almost US$ 500 billion was invested in infrastructure and in the coming 5 years we plan to invest almost a trillion dollars of which half would be by domestic private sector or foreign investment. Besides physical connectivity we are also creating electronic connectivity. We are one of the fastest growing telecom markets in the world with a mobile phone user base of over 929 million (second largest in the world) and over 137 million Internet users(third largest in the world).
To encourage foreign investment in the country, the Government last year announced a slew of policies like permission for foreign investment in multi-brand retail sector, investment up to 49% by foreign airlines in the Indian carriers, raising the foreign investment cap in insurance sector to 49%, allowing Qualified Foreign Investors to directly invest in Indian equity etc.
Even as India is attracting foreign investment, Indian companies have been reaching out to the world with the purpose of investing in various sectors.Our companies have appreciably invested overseasin the last few years through mergers and acquisitions or via direct investments, which has helped them access high-growth markets, acquire knowledge and technology, attain economies of size and scale, and leverage international brand names.
While our successes have been many, we are fully mindful of the enormous challenges and expectations that remain to be addressed, especially in eradicating poverty, malnutrition, diseases, and illiteracy as well as eliminating rural-urban divide, social inequalities, and regional disparities.The government has initiated a number of social development programmes aimed at inclusive growth like the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojnaetc.Our strength in IT is being leveraged in transforming governance and implementing schemes.
In the area of foreign policy, Indiaseeks mutually beneficial relations with all countries in the world and towards this end, is working with them on issues of common concern like terrorism, climate change, global economic crisis, and energy & food security. Our experience of tackling developmental challenges within a democratic framework, and our emphasis on building convergences and consensus have helped us play a key role in addressing international challenges as well as promoting peace, progress and prosperity globally.
India’s relations with Kuwait are longstanding, close and growing. We have been an integral part of each other’s life and consciousness for generations. Our engagement has been multifaceted and continues to grow. Our relationship extends beyond historical and cultural linkages to encompass political, trade and economic interests. India-Kuwait trade increased by 43% in 2011-12 and reached a record US $ 17.5 billion. Indiahas consistently been among Kuwait’s top trading partners and recent years have witnessed new opportunities opening up insectors like human resource, medical tourism, hospitality and IT.
High-level visits and other exchanges between our two countries have provided the platform to further strengthen bilateral relations and explore new avenues of cooperation. Prominent among these in the last year included those by Minister of Overseas India Affairs Mr. Vayalar Ravi, Minister of State for External Affairs Mr. E. Ahamed, Advisor to Prime Minister Mr. T.K.A. Nair and Mr. Rahul Gandhi, MP. Besides, institutional mechanisms like Joint Working Groups on Labour, Employment and Manpower as well as Hydrocarbons were convened last year. A Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Health was signed in April 2012 and the first Foreign Office Consultations between the two countries took place in May 2012. Both sides have been working closely to further intensify engagements at all levels.
The over 650,000 strong Indian community in Kuwait plays an important role in bilateral ties. It is the largest expatriate community in Kuwait and is present in practically every segment of society. It has a reputation for being industrious, talented, disciplined and law abiding. Our community’s contribution to the development and prosperity of Kuwait is appreciated. I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep gratitude for the benevolence bestowed on the Indian community by His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah, the Amir of Kuwait, and for the goodwill of the friendly people of Kuwait.
Indiadeeply values the contribution of its nationals in Kuwait. I am delighted that the Indian Doctors Forum, Kuwait was honoured with the coveted Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award on January 9, 2013 by our Rashtrapatiji in recognition of its services.
The Embassy has been consistently trying to improve the quality of its services to the Indian community in Kuwait. The outsourced service centers for passport and visa services have been functioning satisfactorily. Besides, from May 2012, an optional paid courier service facility for home-delivery of processed passports to the applicants has been initiated and this has been well-received. In addition to the daily “Consular Open House” at the Embassy during which a senior consular official could be met without appointment, I have started an ‘Open House’ every Wednesday where any Indian citizen can meet me without an appointment for any unresolved matter. In addition, the Embassy’s “Indian Workers Welfare Center” set up in September 2009 has been providing the much needed support system to our workers with its help desk, labour complaints desk, toll-free 24x7 telephonic helpline, free accommodation, free legal advice clinic and employment contract attestation system. It will be our endeavour to upgrade our services to the Indian community and respond to their expectations.
On this joyous occasion,as we commit ourselves anew to serving our people, our motherland, and the larger cause of humanity, I wish every Indian in Kuwait good health and prosperity. I also take this opportunity to convey best wishes for the continued good health and well-being of HH the Amir, HH the Crown Prince, HH the Prime Minister, and the friendly people of the State of Kuwait.
Jai Hind!
Pleasant weather, excellent atmosphere, great mood for over 1000s of Indians, who attended the 64th Republic day celebrations organized by Embassy of India, Kuwait.
