Interview with Indian high commissioner Sanjay Panda |07 November 2014

‘Indian investors should look at Seychelles as an oasis’

"We have got excellent ties, but it is important that we now work very hard to take it to the next level,” Sanjay Kumar Panda told the media immediately after presenting his credentials to President James Michel as the new high commissioner of India to Seychelles.

A postgraduate in Political Science and International Relations from the University of Delhi (1983), Mr Panda said this on August 12, 2014 – 12 hours after he had arrived in the country.

“It is very important to have the connectivity and people to people contact to develop tourism, infrastructure, to get more people to visit Seychelles for interactions. That is how the two countries can really come closer; for now the governments are close, that’s why it is important for the people also to come close to each other," added High Commissioner Panda during the interview in the State House gardens.

A career Indian diplomat who joined the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in the year 1991, Mr Panda was the deputy chief of mission at the embassy of India in Tokyo (Japan) from July 2010 till July 2014 before his current assignment as High Commissioner of India to Seychelles.

Late last week, Seychelles Nation met High Commissioner Panda for an interview and he willingly answered our questions.

Seychelles Nation: High Commissioner Panda, how can you describe the relations between Seychelles and India?

Mr Sanjay Panda: The bilateral relationship between Seychelles and India has been excellent. We have the traditional linkages, there is a strong Indian community here and a number of Seychellois of Indian origin and we have recognised that there is a strategic convergence between our two countries.

We have cooperated very well in the field of defence and security, not only in anti-piracy operations but also in the surveillance of the huge 1.3 million square kilometres of the country’s exclusive economic zone. What I intend to do in the next three years and it is what I mentioned on day one immediately after presenting my credentials is I would like to see the relationship diversify into various other spheres. I want the relationship which has matured now to jump to the next level and this is why I feel we need to have enhanced people-to-people contact. This is how you really have a relationship with a very strong foundation and which is actually for the long term.

The current relationship is extremely well placed. We have no issues between our two countries. In fact Seychelles and India have been partners not only in various bilateral relations, but also in the multilateral and regional arena. Seychelles and India have supported and appreciated each other’s position and this speaks for the level of understanding that we have. India has recognised the requirements of Seychelles, so any partnership is actually an appreciation of the recognition of what your partner requires. It is very interesting to note that over 1,000 Seychellois out of a population of 90,000 have attended some kind of capacity building training under the Itec (Indian Technical and Economic Corporation) programme which I think is remarkable. This means that more than 1% of the population has been to India and attended training there. We also have senior officers both from the defence forces and civilian sphere who have come on deputation under the Itec programme to help in the operations of the military and other areas like forensic science and law.

There are different areas where we have existing ties which are working very well.
But I feel people-to-people contact is important to have in developing tourism. Economically and commercially what we have done is not enough. It is only the tip of the iceberg. There is a lot of potential for Indian investment coming into Seychelles. This is something we should focus on, but at the same time in India they think Seychelles is a small country, the market is small and so how do they benefit. We are telling them to look at Seychelles as an oasis, for its good living standards, there is no problem here, law and order is reasonably well. They should look at Seychelles as a base for exporting their products to other parts of Africa.

Seychelles Nation: Talking about the people-to-people contact, Air Seychelles will start flying to India once again in December, how do you think the improved connectivity can influence the relationship between the two countries?

Mr Sanjay Panda: My first and foremost project when I came here was to get direct air connectivity between Seychelles and India. Before coming here, I did not realise that we are only four hours apart. We are so near. Indians hesitate to travel to Seychelles because it is a very complicated route. If they had to travel via Mauritius they had to stay for a night there, it is also complicated going through Dubai or Abu Dhabi. People do not enjoy going on a vacation with many changes as it is uncomfortable. Now with this direct connectivity, a lot of things will happen. For example, Seychelles offers such wonderful locations for the Indian film industry which is the largest in the world. In four hours, actresses and actors can come and shoot in beautiful locations on Mahé, Praslin, La Digue and other islands. I am sure the Indian film industry will be delighted to take advantage of this opportunity. But the only thing is they will look for some support infrastructure which is not available here, but that will come eventually.

But what is very important is to make Air Seychelles’ thrice weekly flight economically viable. For that to happen, the Madagascar and Tanzania connections should be linked with the flight to Mumbai. There is a very strong Indian community of almost 90,000 in Tanzania and they are all very established members of the business community and who keep travelling to the west coast of India. They will be delighted to take the Air Seychelles flight if there is this connectivity. In fact there is a proposal that they will not have to change aircraft.

Seychelles Nation: The Seychelles-India Day celebrations are another activity that brings the two peoples together…

Mr Sanjay Panda: I think it was a one-off idea when it was launched last year. My predecessor (Thanglura Darlong) and Minister Alain St Ange started it with the help of sponsors and the involvement of big Indian Bollywood stars. It turned out to be a grand show showing Indian culture in Seychelles and it was really appreciated by everybody who wanted to have it again.

This year we decided that the Indian community should organise it and they rose to the occasion as the Indian High Commission and the Ministry of Tourism and Culture worked in the background and knew what was happening at every stage. There was a phenomenal response and this is what I feel can get the people-to-people contact. When the people come closer then the relationship is for the long term.  In India we believe in close family bonds and our relationship is always for the long term. India is among countries in the world with least divorced rates as family values are very strong and important. It translates in whatever we do. The appointment of Maestro Ilaiyaraaja as Seychelles' cultural ambassador is a wonderful thing and before he left he was already thinking of setting up an institute in Seychelles.

I remember very well what President James Michel told me when I presented my credentials to him. He said: “The Indian Ocean does not separate us. It is a bridge between our two countries.” How very true! And I want people to use this bridge to cross from India to Seychelles and vice versa.

Seychelles Nation: India will be gifting Seychelles another patrol boat – INS Tarasa. How important is this gesture?

Mr Sanjay Panda: The Indian naval ship INS Tarasa is a Topaz class ship. The first boat – Topaz – we gave Seychelles in 2005 has fared very well and has served the coastguards in their anti-piracy operations, EEZ surveillance.  
When our former President (Pratibha Patil) visited Seychelles in 2012 there was a request for another ship and we are very happy INS Tarasa will be joining the fleet of four boats of the Seychelles Coastguard and that two of those are good performing Indian ships. The handing over of the boat is a very important landmark in our bilateral cooperation.

Seychelles Nation: What about investment and businesses between Seychelles and India?

Mr Sanjay Panda: Like I said earlier, what we have done in the field of economy and business is only the tip of the iceberg. People tend to see the potential only in the size of the market, which is very incorrect. People do not realise what scope is there. Trade is not only selling a product in a market. You can look at manufacturing, third country exports, and investment. Now the problem is would the Seychelles government be able to provide manufacturing facilities to Indian entrepreneurs to come and set up their shops here? A study must be done of the basis of the requirements of Seychelles although the idea is for Indian businesses to cater to Seychelles and export to third countries out of Seychelles. There is a huge African market next to Seychelles and with good connectivity and shipping network it will happen. Another thing I have discussed with Minister Peter Sinon (the Minister for Natural Resources) is that it is extremely important for Seychelles, which imports 95% of all the products it consumes, to be able to grow its foodstuff to feed its population of 90,000.

When it is economically viable to get from abroad then it’s fine, but when it’s not then we shouldn’t as the country is spending so much on freight which is passed on to the population or subsidised by the government. This takes a lot of revenue. Because the land area is small we need to do intensive farming and cultivate any plants which grow vertically and give a lot of produce. Not what grows horizontally as it takes a lot of space. Israel has perfected intensive farming and India has a lot of collaboration with them. This is another area where Seychelles and India can work together.  I believe that imports can be cut down as a population of fewer than 100,000 can be fed by indigenous efforts.

Seychelles Nation: Finally, Mr Panda, what is your general impression of Seychelles?

Mr Sanjay Panda: It’s a tricky question because as a diplomat I should only be talking about the good things, but I will be frank. Seychelles is a remarkable country in the sense that what God has given you God hasn’t given to any other country anywhere in the world.  I have never seen a country like this. I have never seen the colours of the water as I have seen in Seychelles. It is simply out of this world. You have policies in place, you have a President who is at the helm of affairs and talks about the blue economy which is a phenomenal idea and is something which is gaining attraction all over the world. Seychelles is actually seen to be in a leadership position in conservation and ecological matters. That is your USP (unique sales points). But at the same time I feel that the country can do with a little bit of more drive.  I was in Japan before coming here and I could see the work ethic, the level of involvement. Work ethic is something that has to go up. Another thing is addressing the problem of drugs which is a major problem for a small island country.  

Interview conducted by G. G.