New Delhi is the capital city of the Republic of India. It forms mutual agglomeration with the old part of Delhi which is situated somewhat to the north and has a population of about 17 million people. It is situated in the north of India, along the bank of the Yamuna river at the juncture of the Indus river valley and the Ganges river valley. It serves as an important centre for transport, politics, administration and commerce. As New Delhi and the city of Delhi are jointly administered, both cities are commonly referred to as Delhi by Indian people.

Indian culture spans more than 4.500 years. During that period, the foundations of Hindu philosophy, mythology, theology and literature were laid and many beliefs and practices such as dharma, karma, yoga and moksha were founded. It is famous for its religious diversity, and the most dominant religion is Hinduism. Its world-renowned epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata are regarded as the oldest works of Indian literature. Its religion, myths, customs, tradition and culture are unusual and unique.

India is a land of dreams and fantasy. It is a land of diversity, and at the mention of it we immediately think of fine silk, the scent of saffron and roses in the air, passionate pilgrims, snow-covered peaks of the Himalayas and the mysterious Ganges river. In India, 800 languages are spoken. Modesty and simplicity are the main character traits of Indian people who always welcome you with a smile. These beautiful people have left a rich cultural heritage.

We were much honored to talk to Her Excellency Mrs. Narinder Chauhan, Ambassador of India to Serbia.

1.Your Excellency, could you please tell us about your impressions of Serbia and its capital city.

Serbia is a friendly and hospitable country.The people of Serbia are warm and receptive.Like Indians, I find the people of Serbia cherish their traditions, values and beliefs.

Serbia is an emerging economy. It has the potential to become a gateway not only to the Balkans but also to the entire area of Europe and the CIS.

Belgrade is an historic, modern and vibrant city and has retained its rich cultural heritage. For every Indian, Belgrade will always be a place of pilgrimage being the birthplace of the Non-Aligned Movement.

2. For how long have you been Ambassador to Serbia. Please tell us more about your career path and what drove you to a diplomatic career.

I have been in Belgrade since July 2013. Before coming to Belgrade, I served in 4 countries on three different continents in between home assignments.I served in such diverse countries as Japan, Thailand, Belgium and Canada. Working in different environments, cultures and situations has given me necessary resilience and experience. I studied International Relations and Law, subjects that fascinated me and which naturally led me to the civil services. Deeply interested as I was in international affairs, I joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1985.

3. India and Serbia traditionally cultivate cordial relations. However, trade between the two countries is fairly low and we need to revive the presence of Indian companies in Serbia. In 2013, according to data of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, the total trade between Serbia and India accounted for USD 196.1 million, of which Serbia’s export amounted to USD 6.9 million, whereas India’s import amounted to USD 189.2 million. There is huge potential for growth. Please tell us more about the current state of economic exchange, and how it might be improved? In your opinion, what are the opportunities for Serbia to increase its foreign trade with India?

Serbia has many advantages but it needs to market itself in India.

Serbia holds an edge in the region due to its qualified and cost effective work force, favorable geographic location, good infrastructure, strong political will, low tax regime and free trade agreements with Russia, the EU, the EFTA, Turkey, Kazakhstan and Belarus.

I agree that trade between the two countries is not up to its potential. The exchange of visits at the political and business level is very important.The recent visits of Indian companies like RITES Ltd, Tata, TAFE and Mahindra are positive developments. The Joint Economic Committee has been revived. The Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) is organizing an India-Central Europe Business Forum in Bengaluru on 5-6 October, 2015 and we hope Serbian companies will consider it worthwhile to attend with a view to establishing JVs in Serbia and in India; the focus sectors among others will be IT & ITES; Services; Urban Infrastructure; Clean & Green Technologies; Life Sciences; Pharmaceuticals; Environmental technologies; R&D; Agri & Food Processing; Auto & Auto Components and Tourism. I urge the Serbian Industry and municipalities to attend the October Bengaluru Business Forum and make their presence felt on the Indian business platform.In as far as exports are concerned Serbian exporters can explore the Indian market in agriculture and food processing with a special emphasis on meat processing, seeding material and agro-chemicals. There is excellent cooperation in the fields of defense and the cigarette and tobacco industry, which can be strengthened. The other possible sector for trade cooperation can be in engineering and construction.

4. Your Excellency, we are well aware that India is among the world’s leaders in information and communications technologies. Please tell us how much export the IT sector has generated thus far. What would be the biggest investment opportunity for India in the IT sector in our region?

India is the world's largest sourcing destination for the information technology (IT) industry, accounting for approximately 52 per cent of the US$ 124-130 billion market. The industry employs about 10 million Indians and continues to contribute significantly to the social and economic transformation in the country.

The IT industry has not only transformed India's image on the global platform, but has also fuelled economic growth by energizing the higher education sector, especially in engineering and computer science.

India's cost competitiveness in providing IT services continues to be its unique selling proposition (USP) in the global sourcing market.

Indian IT's core competencies and strengths have placed it on the international canvas, attracting investments from major countries. The computer software and hardware sector in India attracted cumulative foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows worth US$ 13,788.56 million between April 2000 and December 2014.India’s export in the IT sector in the financial year 2014-15 stood at approximately USD 80 billion.

Many Indian IT companies are present in the Balkan region.The Embassy Group, an Indian real estate company is constructing an IT Park in Indjija.E-commerce with the Government of Serbia is one of the possible areas of cooperation for the Indian IT sector.Similarly, Indian companies can look at creating an IT outsourcing hub in Serbia for the EU companies operating in the region.

5. Our countries have agreements on the protection and promotion of investments, avoidance of double taxation and a trade agreement on co-operation in agriculture and science. In your opinion, to what extent will this strengthen the relations between our countries?

The bilateral MOUs and Agreements are necessary instruments of cooperation and have an inbuilt implementation mechanism.The Joint Economic Committee under the Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation held its second meeting last year to suggest ways and means for future economic cooperation including participation at trade fairs and economic summits.The recommendations of the Committee are being implemented. Agriculture, ICT, nano-technology, biomedicine, defence systems, etc. are very promising areas for joint ventures. During the meeting between Hon’ble Presidents in Moscow last month, and earlier at the Foreign Ministry level on the sidelines of the AU Smmit in Addis Ababa in January 2015, the need to have greater economic cooperation was stressed.

6. Last year, the UNGA established an International Yoga Day, initiated by India and supported by a record number of the UN member countries. It certainly looks like the whole world recognizes the benefits of yoga. What does the International Yoga Day mean to India as a country?

The concepts and practices of yoga originated in India several thousand years ago. Its founders were the great Saints and Sages. The great yogis presented a rational interpretation of their experiences of yoga and brought about a practical and scientifically sound method within every one’s reach. Yoga today, is no longer restricted to hermits, saints, and sages; it has entered into our everyday lives and has aroused a worldwide awakening and acceptance in the last few decades. Yoga is one of the six systems of Vedic philosophy.Today more than 250 million people around the world practice yoga.The United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 2014 adopted an India-led resolution declaring June 21 as the 'International Day of Yoga'.It is a matter of great pride for India.June 21 has a cultural and cosmic significance as it is the day of the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere when the daylight hours are the longest.The resolution was adopted by an acclamation, without having to take a vote in "a testimony to the enthusiastic cross-cultural and universal appeal that yoga enjoys amongst members of the United Nations."The government of Serbia co-sponsored the resolution.The government of India has decided to celebrate the first IDY celebrations all over the world.

7. Addressing the UNGA, the Honorable Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi said also that by changing our lifestyle and creating consciousness, it can help us deal with climate change. In what way yoga can help solving some of the big issues of today’s world, such as climate change?

The World faces several challenges today.The essence of yoga is peace and harmony, and thus has the power to bring people across societies, communities and religions to one platform, and work towards common goals.In his speech at UNESCO, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India said that different paths to “economic wellbeing” should be explored by world leaders.He said that people will have to change their lifestyles and develop a harmony with nature if the world is to avoid dangerous levels of climate change.Yoga offers a sense of “harmony with oneself, society and nature” and could create a “social consciousness”.He said “in India, faith and nature have had a deep meaning from ancient times – for us only the path is a sustainable one,”

8. This is the first year that the International Yoga Day is celebrated in more than 170 countries worldwide, Serbia included. What do you think yoga as an ancient skill brings to the contemporary world?

Yoga is very important for everyday life for prevention of disease, health promotion and dealing with lifestyle disorders.It also has the spiritual aspect of harmonizing and balancing the body and the mind and in uniting individual consciousness with spiritual consciousness.Yoga is a discipline which can improve or develop one’s inherent power in a balanced manner. It offers the means to attain complete self-realization.

The literal meaning of the Sanskrit word “yoga” is ’yoke’. Yoga can therefore be defined as a means of uniting individual spirit with the universal spirit of God.

The science of Yoga and its techniques have now been reoriented to suit modern sociological needs and lifestyles. Experts of various branches of medicine including modern medical sciences are realizing the role of these techniques in the prevention and mitigation of disease and promotion of health.Yoga is believed to have potential for the improvement of physical health by enhancing circulation of oxygenated blood in the body and retraining the sensory organs, thereby inducing tranquility and serenity of the mind. The practice of yoga prevents psychosomatic disorders and improves an individual’s resistance and ability to endure stressful situations.

9. What kind of cooperation exists in the sphere of culture and tourism between Serbia and India and what are the plans for this field?

Culture unites the people of India and Serbia.The Agreement on Tourism and Culture reinforces these bonds. We have made our presence felt in all the iconic platforms of Serbia, namely, the Belgrade International Tourism Fair, the Belgrade International Book Fair, Belgrade Fashion Week, Belgrade Design Week and we expect to participate in the 2016 Belgrade Dance Festival as well. The numbers of visitors to India have increased. Our cultural manifestations attract a mainstream audience, for instance, the Kathak dance troupe, the Fusion band, the eminent lecture on Mahatma Gandhi, the exhibition on Sari, the artwork of Tagore, temples, the Fort and Palace of India, the India-Serbia Photography Contest and the instrumental group Rudra Veena, etc..Encouraged by this, we have plans to do a Festival of India in Serbia. Indian culture, films, cuisine and TV serials are very popular in Serbia.We feel welcomed everywhere.We request everyone to log on to our Facebook page.

10. How would you introduce your country to our readers in order to attract them to visit, to go there to work or live?

India is one of the oldest civilizations in the world with a rich history and cultural heritage. It is now one of the top industrialized countries in the world and one of the few nations to have gone into outer space to conquer nature for the benefit of the people. India offers a vast expanse of 3,287,590 sq. km extending from the snow-covered Himalayan heights to the tropical rain forests of the south. As the 7th largest country in the world, India stands apart from the rest of Asia, marked off as it is by mountains and the sea, which give the country a distinct geographical entity. Bound by the great Himalayas in the north, it stretches southwards and at the Tropic of Cancer, tapers off into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal on the east and the Arabian Sea on the west.India is today the favored destination for year round tourism; for heritage, cultural, spiritual, medical, business and sports tourism.India is also one of the top investment destinations in the world. A large number of multinational companies operate in India.There is enormous opportunity for businesses, education and employment in India.India has also emerged as the hub for economic summits.

11. When you have free time, how do you spend it in Belgrade? Do you have a favorite place that you return to, again and again?

Compared to the populated New Delhi, Belgrade is like Indian hill station, charming and serene. I enjoy Belgrade the most in summer, particularly when you have Indian summers as we have now.

12. When you leave Serbia, what will be your most treasured memory of the time spent in our country? What will you definitely carry with you from your experiences in Serbia?

Serbia will always be special to India. Your role in India’s nation building has been signal. The continued warmth of your people and the open doors of your institutions will be permanently inscribed in my memory.

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