External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday mentioned 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 had been affected throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jaishankar, who’s right here on his maiden go to to New Zealand as External Affairs Minister, mentioned this whereas interacting with the Indian neighborhood throughout the inauguration of the brand new Indian High Commission Chancery in Wellington.
Regarding the Indian college students right here, he mentioned that it has been a troublesome 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 mentioned.
Jaishankar mentioned he anticipated to see some progress on the difficulty.
India is the second largest supply of worldwide college students in New Zealand looking for increased training in varied disciplines equivalent to info know-how, 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 come back to the nation for his or her research and It has additionally demanded “fair and more sympathetic treatment” in the direction of these individuals. affected by the pandemic.
He additionally touched upon the difficulty of direct air connectivity between India and New Zealand and mentioned that it will be seemed into.
“Trust me, a trip to New Zealand, and I understand why you need it,” he mentioned.
There are round 250,000 individuals of Indian origin and NRIs in New Zealand, most of whom have made the nation their everlasting residence.
Jaishankar additionally visited the Te Papa Museum exhibition in Wellington on Sunday to commemorate the Gallipoli marketing campaign.
“The casualties and the visuals tell their own story. PTI10_09_2022_000066B We recognize our shared history even as we strive to build a better world,” he tweeted.
After New Zealand, the External Affairs Minister will go to Canberra and Sydney, which will probably be his second go to to Australia this yr.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
