His Majesty likely to visit India this year, says envoy
Indian Republic Day function: (Top)The Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Pehin Dato Hj Mohammed (C) with the Indian High Commissioner Riewad V Warjri (R) at the India's Republic Day reception. (Below) Warjri hoisting the national flag to mark Republic Day celebrations. Pictures: Saifulizam, Helmyshah
Sunday, January 27, 2008
HIS Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam is likely to visit India sometime this year, the Indian High Commissioner, His Excellency Riewad V Warjri disclosed last night.
Speaking to The Brunei Times during a reception hosted in conjunction with India's Republic Day, Warjri said: "This year His Majesty is likely to visit India and that will be a major landmark as this will lead to the signing of all the important MoUs in the pipeline between India and Brunei."
He said it is just the matter of finalising the date.
Talking about the bilateral relations, the Indian High Commissioner said there are areas where India and Brunei can work for mutual benefit.
He said one area is a technological park in India where Brunei can invest and get benefit from it. Highlighting that India has become a major outsourcing centre, the Indian High Commissioner said India can be of great help in Brunei e-governance projects. English proficiency being very high in India, Warjri said many outsourcing jobs can be done in India at a much cheaper rate than other Western countries.
Regarding attracting investment from Brunei, as India has emerged a major foreign investment destination, the Indian High Commissioner said last year in September a delegation from the Brunei Investment Agency visited India to explore investment opportunities and met the Indian Finance Minister P Chidambaram and other important players in the government and private sectors. He added investment can go both ways and can help both countries. Warjri said defence is another area where the two countries cooperate.
"We have some premier defence training institutions like the Defence Services Staff College at Wellington in Tamil Nadu."
Senior government officials, members of the diplomatic corp and prominent members of the Indian community in Brunei were present at the reception.
Earlier in the day, the diplomatic mission of India in Brunei, members of the local Indian community and other invited guests gathered at the High Commission in Sungkai Akar to commemorate the anniversary of Republic Day.
The High Commissioner of India hoisted the national flag.
In a beautiful display of patriotism, the Indian flag was hoisted up with flowers packed inside, as the flag unfurled the flowers began to scatter in the air, representing the diversity of India.
"We do this practice everywhere in the morning and no matter where we are, whether it rains or whether it snows, we keep this practice," Warjri said.
"It's a very solemn and important tradition of ours."
Following the flag hoisting, excerpts of the speech by Indian President, Pratibha Patil on January 25, the eve of the anniversary of Republic Day, was read out by Warjri.
In her speech, the president had focused on how much India had developed in terms of economy and other areas of development over the past 60 years.
In conjunction to the speech, Warjri also mentioned recent issues such as duplicated passports that are being held by Indian citizens here, which are regretted but unavoidable and the measures taken to rectify the situation by re-issuing passports to those who have in possession of the duplicates.
The Brunei Times
Speaking to The Brunei Times during a reception hosted in conjunction with India's Republic Day, Warjri said: "This year His Majesty is likely to visit India and that will be a major landmark as this will lead to the signing of all the important MoUs in the pipeline between India and Brunei."
He said it is just the matter of finalising the date.
Talking about the bilateral relations, the Indian High Commissioner said there are areas where India and Brunei can work for mutual benefit.
He said one area is a technological park in India where Brunei can invest and get benefit from it. Highlighting that India has become a major outsourcing centre, the Indian High Commissioner said India can be of great help in Brunei e-governance projects. English proficiency being very high in India, Warjri said many outsourcing jobs can be done in India at a much cheaper rate than other Western countries.
Regarding attracting investment from Brunei, as India has emerged a major foreign investment destination, the Indian High Commissioner said last year in September a delegation from the Brunei Investment Agency visited India to explore investment opportunities and met the Indian Finance Minister P Chidambaram and other important players in the government and private sectors. He added investment can go both ways and can help both countries. Warjri said defence is another area where the two countries cooperate.
"We have some premier defence training institutions like the Defence Services Staff College at Wellington in Tamil Nadu."
Senior government officials, members of the diplomatic corp and prominent members of the Indian community in Brunei were present at the reception.
Earlier in the day, the diplomatic mission of India in Brunei, members of the local Indian community and other invited guests gathered at the High Commission in Sungkai Akar to commemorate the anniversary of Republic Day.
The High Commissioner of India hoisted the national flag.
In a beautiful display of patriotism, the Indian flag was hoisted up with flowers packed inside, as the flag unfurled the flowers began to scatter in the air, representing the diversity of India.
"We do this practice everywhere in the morning and no matter where we are, whether it rains or whether it snows, we keep this practice," Warjri said.
"It's a very solemn and important tradition of ours."
Following the flag hoisting, excerpts of the speech by Indian President, Pratibha Patil on January 25, the eve of the anniversary of Republic Day, was read out by Warjri.
In her speech, the president had focused on how much India had developed in terms of economy and other areas of development over the past 60 years.
In conjunction to the speech, Warjri also mentioned recent issues such as duplicated passports that are being held by Indian citizens here, which are regretted but unavoidable and the measures taken to rectify the situation by re-issuing passports to those who have in possession of the duplicates.
The Brunei Times
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