“Indian Australians play a vital role in strengthening Bi-lateral relations”

Mr Manish Gupta has recently taken his position as the Consul General of India in Sydney. Having worked in Delhi as a joint-secretary for the department of overseas Indian Affairs, Mr Gupta brings his rich experience to Australia. He spoke to SBS Hindi and emphasized the necessity to convert PIO cards to OCI cards, and for International Indian students to register themselves on the “Madad Online Portal” for assistance.

Mr Manish Gupta has recently taken his position as the Consul General of India in Sydney. Source: Vivek Asri

The new Indian Consul General in Sydney, Mr. Manish Gupta is impressed with the contribution and achievements of the Indian diaspora in various walks of Australian life. He says, “Our community reflects a mini India. Each Indian Australian is a brand ambassador for India and each one can play a major role in further strengthening bi-lateral relations between India and Australia.”

Source: Vivek Asri

The Indian Government has an unparalleled commitment to its diasporic population, and wishes for their welfare and security, wherever they wish to live. Mr. Gupta says, “In the past five years the Indian Government has helped more than 200K Indians settled abroad. In every country that Prime Minister Modi has visited, he has deeply engaged with the diaspora. This has brought about a new energy, enthusiasm and confidence to the diasporic population.”

On being asked about the process of acquiring an OCI card, Mr Gupta says, the procedure is very simple, VFS Global is the service provider, all one has to do is go online, download an application form and submit it with some documents of proof. In case some people do not have a Birth Certificate they can provide a nativity certificate, or a domicile certificate or even an educational certificate citing the name of their parents. If all fails then a self-declared affidavit will also serve the purpose of applying for an OCI card. 

One of the new initiatives of the Indian Government is a project through which all the Indian Consulates and Embassies will be integrated with a Global Passport service. The objective is to put everything online. The Global Passport service has been launched in Sydney and one can have a passport in 5 to 6 days.

In conclusion, Mr Gupta emphasizes on two things. “I request all those who have not converted their PIO cards to an OCI card to do so, as the PIO is about to be phased out. Secondly all International Indian students should register themselves on the Madad Online Portal for acquiring any help.”

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