Indian envoy on Kosovo, bilateral ties

The sovereignty and territorial integrity of international borders should be fully respected by all states, says India's ambassador to Serbia. The Kosovo issue should be resolved through peaceful means, Ambassador Nengcha Lhouvum Mukhopadhaya said in an interview for Tanjug on the eve of India's Independence Day, August 15. Indian envoy on Kosovo, bilateral ties "India's position remains unchanged, that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of international borders should be fully respected by all States and that the Kosovo issue should be resolved through peaceful means, through consultation and dialogue with the parties concerned, and not through either confrontation or military action, unilateral or otherwise," she said. The world's largest democracy has not recognized the unilateral declaration of independence made by Kosovo's ethnic Albanians in early 2008, and has backed the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia. "India and Serbia enjoy very good relations based on the strong foundations laid during the time of President Tito and Prime Minister Nehru," the ambassador said . "In the last two decades, the global political landscape has undergone tremendous changes. Consequently, the relationship between India and Serbia also need to be repositioned in today's context to meet new challenges and new aspirations of both countries," India's top diplomatic representative in Serbia told the news agency. Despite comprehensively friendly relations, economic cooperation between India and Serbia is still insufficient, Lhouvum said. "Indian companies have significant presence in most parts of the world competing with the best on the strength of quality of products and price competitiveness. Yet, you hardly see Indian business presence in Serbia. Perhaps Serbia needs to re-adjust its lenses on how it looks at India. Look at India as a potential investor and a trade partner," the ambassador said. Lhouvum noted that Serbia has "areas of excellence that India can benefit from, in the fields of agricultural science - improved seed varieties, post harvest technology, food processing, and other sectors such as engineering, defense production." "The Indian Embassy will be happy to assist Serbian companies in doing business with India," the diplomat noted. India, one of the biggest countries in the world and second most populous nation, celebrates 63 years of independence with a trillion dollar economy, already fourth largest in terms of Purchasing Power Parity (PPP), and USD 284bn forex reserves. Over the past 15 years, India has achieved remarkable economic progress and could become one of three biggest national economies. India has become a member of G20 most developed countries and and has created BRIC together with Brazil, Russia and China as a turning point in the transfer of economic power from the developed to the developing countries. "Today as we celebrate 63 years of our independence, I would say that India's experience of managing the aspirations of more than a billion people of diverse ethnicity, religions, languages and economic strata, all within a consensual democratic framework, is unique," the ambassador said. Ambassador Nengcha Lhouvum Mukhopadhaya (Tanjug)

Indian envoy on Kosovo, bilateral ties

"India's position remains unchanged, that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of international borders should be fully respected by all States and that the Kosovo issue should be resolved through peaceful means, through consultation and dialogue with the parties concerned, and not through either confrontation or military action, unilateral or otherwise," she said.

The world's largest democracy has not recognized the unilateral declaration of independence made by Kosovo's ethnic Albanians in early 2008, and has backed the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia.

"India and Serbia enjoy very good relations based on the strong foundations laid during the time of President Tito and Prime Minister Nehru," the ambassador said .

"In the last two decades, the global political landscape has undergone tremendous changes. Consequently, the relationship between India and Serbia also need to be repositioned in today's context to meet new challenges and new aspirations of both countries," India's top diplomatic representative in Serbia told the news agency.

Despite comprehensively friendly relations, economic cooperation between India and Serbia is still insufficient, Lhouvum said.

"Indian companies have significant presence in most parts of the world competing with the best on the strength of quality of products and price competitiveness. Yet, you hardly see Indian business presence in Serbia. Perhaps Serbia needs to re-adjust its lenses on how it looks at India. Look at India as a potential investor and a trade partner," the ambassador said.

Lhouvum noted that Serbia has "areas of excellence that India can benefit from, in the fields of agricultural science - improved seed varieties, post harvest technology, food processing, and other sectors such as engineering, defense production."

"The Indian Embassy will be happy to assist Serbian companies in doing business with India," the diplomat noted.

India, one of the biggest countries in the world and second most populous nation, celebrates 63 years of independence with a trillion dollar economy, already fourth largest in terms of Purchasing Power Parity (PPP), and USD 284bn forex reserves.

Over the past 15 years, India has achieved remarkable economic progress and could become one of three biggest national economies.

India has become a member of G20 most developed countries and and has created BRIC together with Brazil, Russia and China as a turning point in the transfer of economic power from the developed to the developing countries.

"Today as we celebrate 63 years of our independence, I would say that India's experience of managing the aspirations of more than a billion people of diverse ethnicity, religions, languages and economic strata, all within a consensual democratic framework, is unique," the ambassador said.