Envoy Sets Sail on an Ocean of Possibilities CAST
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ARAB TIMES, MONDAY, MARCH 1, 2021 2 Ambassador Sibi George with family. Diplomacy Envoy sets sail on an By Chaitali B. Roy ing in Kuwait. There are many challenges. Special to the Arab Times My endeavour is to make the consular service in the Embassy a pleasant experience for all Indians in Kuwait. iplomacy is a vast ocean of exploring possibilities There are challenges, there are constraints. It is a work ‘Dto promote and protect your country’s interests and ocean of possibilities in progress. But we are on the right track. The welfare of your people abroad while building a mutually benefi cial those who need help and support is a priority. They are partnership with your host country,’ said Ambassador not liabilities; they are not strangers; they are our brothers Sibi George, Ambassador of India to Kuwait. “Each re- and sisters, they are not problems,they are our priorities. lationship is important. No relationship can be neglected We are celebrating two important milestones My endeavour is to make the consular ser- We will effectively use the Indian Community Welfare or ignored.” Ambassador George gave an extensive inter- Fund (ICWF) for the welfare of the community. We have view to the Arab Times, where he discussed nuances of this year. This year marks the 75th anniver- vice in the Embassy a pleasant experience for a program where we provide lunch to all needy Indians Indo-Kuwait relationship and shared his role and vision who visit the Embassy every day. Our open houses, our for the same as a diplomat. A career diplomat, Ambas- sary of India’s independence. It also marks the all Indians in Kuwait. There are challenges, interactions with all stakeholders, will bridge gaps with sador George joined the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in 60th anniversary of the establishment of dip- there are constraints. It is a work in progress. the community, if any, that exists. There is absolutely 1993 and began his diplomatic career in Cairo. Before zero tolerance in my Embassy for any form of corrup- Kuwait, he was the Ambassador of India to Switzerland, lomatic relations between India and Kuwait. But we are on the right track. The welfare of tion, nepotism, bias or partisanship. We are ready to work Liechtenstein and the Holy See. Each posting has been 24x7 to enhance our relationship with the host country unique, he says, and came with its share of challenges. In I have a plan A and plan B. Plan A is to cel- those who need help and support is a priority. and to ensure the safety and welfare of the community. Washington, he witnessed the landmark India-US civil AT: You joined the Embassy in Kuwait inAugust nuclear deal. In Switzerland, his fi rst ambassadorial as- ebrate these important milestones with hun- They are not liabilities; they are not strangers; 2020. In the six months that have followed, you have signment, he tried to connect the Himalayas with the Alps moved at a swift pace. There is hardly a day without an and built on the growing interest in Indian spirituality in dreds of cultural and other events in celebrat- they are our brothers and sisters, they are not event taking place.How are these events designed to ben- Europe. One of the highlights of his earlier posting was ing India in Kuwait and events to highlight problems,they are our priorities. We will ef- efi t the community? handling high profi le visits by the President and Prime Ambassador Sibi George: The Embassy is adopting Minister of India. Representing India is a great honour, the historic and growing partnership between fectively use the Indian Community Welfare a multipronged approach in our outreach programme. he says. “It is an excellent opportunity to strengthen fur- There are four kinds of events that we focus on: fi rstly, ther the historic and deep-rooted relationship with the the two countries. Plan B is to focus more on Fund (ICWF) for the welfare of the commu- events aimed at highlighting the New India to the world, country. It is also a great opportunity to serve the large its economic and scientifi c achievements and transforma- Indian community here.” virtual events, again hundreds of those events, nity. We have a program where we provide tion, both at national and state levels; secondly, events to Arab Times: As a career diplomat, you have spent a celebrating India and its relationship with Ku- lunch to all needy Indians. There is absolutely celebrate and showcase India’s rich and varied cultural lot of time in the Middle East. What has your experience diversity, its civilisational heritage and its several festi- been like? How strong and enduring is the relationship of wait. In all these events and efforts, the many zero tolerance in my Embassy for any form vals; thirdly, events to celebrate the life and contributions this region with India? of our national heroes, and fourthly, events to engage the Ambassador Sibi George: As a young diplomat, Indian associations in Kuwait are our partners. of corruption, nepotism, bias or partisanship. community closely to ensure their welfare and keep them I chose to be in this region. I chose this as my area of informed on the Embassy’s efforts to support them ad- specialisation. I think I am one of those very few Indian Depending on the evolving Covid 19 pandem- We are ready to work 24x7 to enhance our re- dress their concerns. I am sure that each of these events diplomats who have done multiple assignments in this ic situation, we will work on Plan A or Plan B lationship with the host country and to ensure contributes to building bridges between India and Kuwait region. I was in Cairo, Qatar, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Pa- and contributing to the community’s welfare here. kistan. The Gulf region is a vital region for India. It is starting next month. the safety and welfare of the community. In recent years, India has made signifi cant progress in part of India’s extended neighbourhood. So I deliberately agriculture, food production, energy, healthcare, educa- chose this region as my area of specialisation. I am happy tion, and various science and technology fi elds. We have that I took that decision. I always feel at home in this part made our mark in the international arena in informa- of the world. tion technology, mass media and communication, space India and Kuwait have a historic relationship that can technology, defence production and Nuclear energy and be traced back to several centuries. The stability, security CAST OFF solar energy. India has some of the world’s best techni- and prosperity of this region is so important to us. Apart cal institutes like the Indian Institute of Technology and from trade and investment, there are crucial areas, includ- the Indian Institute of Science. In a nutshell, India has ing security, the safety of maritime lanes, the fi ght against emerged today as a vibrant modern economy. We are terrorism, defence, science, and technology. on the way to become an ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, a self- Over the years, this relationship has grown into a mu- reliant economy. tually benefi cial longstanding dynamic partnership. Each At the same time, we are the world’s largest democ- time I see a dhow or a replica of a dhow here, I remem- racy. We also maintain its civilisational ethos, values and ber the forefathers who traded across the seas with India. identity. In India, we speak several hundred languages, eat different foods, and wear different clothes, but there Every family in Kuwait has some kind of connect with Riyadh as volunteers to work towards the welfare of the which is unfolding even as we carry this article. Can you India. I thank the leadership of the State of Kuwait for is a feeling of oneness and common consciousness, a 2.8 million Indians in Saudi Arabia during the period of share with us some of the main reforms and initiatives civilisational bond that makes us proud as Indians. Every hosting a large Indian community in Kuwait. Nitaqat. We worked very closely with the government you have undertaken? AT: You received the S K Singh Award for excellence diverse culture in India fl ourishes, and every region in In- of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and received excellent Ambassador Sibi George: I am happy to be in Ku- dia fl ourishes. Very few countries in the world can claim in Indian Foreign Service during your stint as Deputy cooperation and support from the government and the wait which is in one of the most important regions for In- Chief of Mission to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Why were the continuous civilisational identity that India has. The you given the award? Is it for your work with migrant citizens of the Kingdom. It was a mutually benefi cial co- dia. My fi rst and foremost responsibility is to build upon incredible variety of arts and crafts that India offers today workers in Saudi Arabia? operation that helped regularise the legal status of over a the vibrant relations between our two countries. I call this is a valuable cultural heritage of the whole of humanity. Ambassador Sibi George: Yes, it was an Award for million Indians in Saudi Arabia. I always remember with relationship a longstanding dynamic partnership. While I The environment for doing business in India is continu- Excellence in Foreign Service primarily for my work in gratitude the support we received from the leadership of work on building on this bilateral relationship, one of my ously improved by ushering in stable, predictable and Saudi Arabia during the period of Nitaqat.