Towards improving ‘Blue Economy’

Hot on the heels of his grand farewell as the Consul General of India in Chicago, Dr Ausaf Sayeed, a 1989 batch IFS officer, who has been serving on India's diplomatic missions for the last 27 years, has been appointed as the High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Seychelles, that consists of 115 islands in Africa.

In the United States, Dr Sayeed was overlooking nine States of the mid-west US, a strategic region for India US relations that accounts for a whopping 30 per cent of the total US economy. His position was instrumental both for the Indian diasporas of about 5,00,000 people as well as for diplomatic fraternity crediting him for exchanging a large number of trade and business delegations between India and the mid-west United States. About 80 Indian companies were operating under his jurisdiction producing over 20,000 jobs.

He fervently says, "I am satisfied by bringing the regions together for economic prosperity, and educational collaboration." Dr Sayeed was instrumental in helping three of the top universities of the United States by setting up their offices in India for educational collaboration.

He says, "We tried to link the [mid-west US] region with India, and to that extent were successful in sending a lot of trade delegations from India to US and vice-versa." The MoU for ‘Smart State’ signed between Telangana and Illionis is a first such endeavour. Similarly, an MoU between the mid-west US and Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh are also ready and due for signatures by both parties.

Dr Ausaf Sayeed has a formidable vision to further strengthen India's relations with Seychelles. "In terms of size, Seychelles is smaller, but it’s a very strategic country, sharing traditionally very close and historic relations going back decades,” he says. "India offers educational scholarships to students of Seychelles. We also offer slots for training of their officials under Government's ITEC programme."

In his diplomatic capacity as the High Commissioner of India to Seychelles, a commonwealth nation since 1976, Dr. Sayeed will focus on promoting Tourism & Hospitality, Seafood processing, Foods and Fruits besides educational and medical collaboration. It is pertinent to mention that in January 2017 nearly 100 types of essential medicines weighing over 42,000 kilos and amounting to Rs 3 crore were gifted by the Government of India to Seychelles as a part of its $8.76m programme to aid the republic.

"One of our key interest will be to promote 'blue economy' over IORA" as India shares a common belt with Seychelles in the Indian Ocean. Seychelles is known for its exotic natural beauty, exclusive topical fruits and is a very good tourist destination for Indians,” he says. Dr Ausaf Sayeed, a proud son of Hyderabad, son of eminent writer late Awaz Sayeed and nephew of late Mughni Tabassum, will be assuming office of the High Commissioner of India in Seychelles on February 17 and will be accompanied by his wife Farah Sayeed.

By Syed Khaled Shahbaaz