External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday stated he has urged New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and External Affairs Minister Naniya Mahuta to sympathetically contemplate the difficulties being confronted by Indian college students who have been affected in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jaishankar, who’s right here on his maiden go to to New Zealand as External Affairs Minister, stated this whereas interacting with the Indian group in the course of the inauguration of the brand new Indian High Commission Chancery in Wellington.
Regarding the Indian college students right here, he stated that it has been a tricky time for them throughout Kovid.
“None of us had an easy time during COVID. But the students probably took a bigger hit than most of us. Therefore, I urged the Prime Minister and the External Affairs Minister to have a sympathetic approach and understanding towards the entering students and I am happy to assure that they will consider the issue sympathetically,” Jaishankar stated.
Jaishankar stated he anticipated to see some progress on the difficulty.
India is the second largest supply of worldwide college students in New Zealand in search of greater training in numerous disciplines equivalent to data expertise, hospitality, science, engineering and structure.
On Thursday, Jaishankar additionally raised the difficulty of visas when he met his New Zealand counterpart Mahuta to expedite the visa course of for Indian college students who’re ready to return to the nation for his or her research and It has additionally demanded “fair and more sympathetic treatment” in direction of these individuals. affected by the pandemic.
He additionally touched upon the difficulty of direct air connectivity between India and New Zealand and stated that it will be seemed into.
“Trust me, a trip to New Zealand, and I understand why you need it,” he stated.
There are round 250,000 individuals of Indian origin and NRIs in New Zealand, most of whom have made the nation their everlasting house.
Jaishankar additionally visited the Te Papa Museum exhibition in Wellington on Sunday to commemorate the Gallipoli marketing campaign.
After New Zealand, the External Affairs Minister will go to Canberra and Sydney, which will likely be his second go to to Australia this yr.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
