 ‘In an interesting development that has raised eyebrows, the Indian ambassador to Belgium participated in an event for the promotion of a particular brand of Indian wine in Belgium’, according to Asian Age. However, the venture is being seen as part of a growing trend of Indian diplomats actively pitching for export of produce from India even if it is, in this case, an alcoholic product, according to the report.
The event took place at Kortrijk in the Flemish Province of West Flanders in Belgium on September 15 in which the embassy of India in Brussels participated for promotion of the particular brand of wine (the report shies away from naming the producer for obscure reasons). In fact, the Indian Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Union (EU) was the “key note speaker” at the event where he congratulated the dynamic CEO of the Indian company for bringing a wine revolution in India and putting the country on the world wine map.
The event was apparently attended by over 300 people, including prominent businessmen and was an indication that there was interest in Indian wine, according to Shri Puri. ‘I hope Indian wine would also be able to find a decent place on your dining tables,’ he is reported to have said.” The Indian embassy in Brussels had also stated that wines from India are trying to expand their market presence in the EU.
What I found shocking, regressive and repugnant is that when contacted, a former foreign secretary spoke on condition of anonymity, “This would almost certainly not have happened even a decade ago but I see nothing wrong in it. This is part of a new trend wherein diplomats are also expected to promote the export of produce from India. The diplomats also have to engage in tasks such as trade-promotion apart from their regular work. This trade-promotion is something which Western diplomats have long been engaging in on behalf of their countries. So it’s perfectly okay for Indian diplomats to do so too.” Where was the need to be anonymous, I ask. In fact, such senior bureaucrats ought to laud such efforts besides changing with times.
While his statement is 100% correct in that the Ambassadors of other countries in India are assigned the task of increasing the international trade and those from the wine producing countries are very active in promoting wine and generally support the efforts of any producer interested in India, I find it shocking that this former foreign secretary chose to speak on conditions of anonymity.
The news report has for inexplicable reasons (as if they are talking about a minority community) abstained from naming the company, but the Embassy website clearly lists it as the leading producer Sula Vineyards- apparently Rajeev Samant attended the event. Samant highlighted his efforts towards putting India on world wine map whereas H.E. Puri was the keynote speaker.
It is also pertinent to add that when I catalyzed the Ministry of Food Processing Industries about 5 years ago to join the OIV with all the important potential benefits to the Indian wine industry, Shri Ranjan Mathai, the then Ambassador to France, and later appointed as the Foreign Secretary was requested by the Ministry to check out the organization and confirm that it was as useful as I had projected it to be. He had several meetings with the President and the Director General of OIV and eventually gave the green signal that became the basis of the then President Pratibha Patil eventually passing a decree allowing India to become the 43rd member of the 46- nation body.
After writing several letters to the Ministry of External Affairs requesting them to promote Indian wines at the embassy events overseas, when I met him at a dinner I had organized for the Delhi Wine club celebrating the 10th year and 200th wine event, Mr. Mathai confirmed to me that the MEA had indeed instructed the embassies overseas to serve Indian wine at various events. Therefore, what the Ambassador has done is followed the instructions of the MEA in the right spirit of the directive and he deserves kudos from anyone who is a part or ell-wisher of the Indian wine industry.
It is heartening to read from the report though that ‘when contacted, sources in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that Indian envoys are also mandated to actively promote the export of produce from India abroad, even if the product is manufactured by a private Indian firm. Also, in India the consumption, manufacture and export of wine is perfectly legal.’ It must be emphasized that wine industry is in private hands as it should be, and the Ambassador was merely promoting Indian wines to be on the tables of EU.
It might be pointed out that the Indian Grape Processing Board was constituted to promote Indian wines and though it is shameful that it did not work out-perhaps due to the undercurrents that are latent in this report. APEDA-the government export body for food products under the Ministry of Commerce, recently organized a 3-day event in London to promote ‘Wines of India’. Sula was one of the five participants, promoting Brand India.
So the Ambassador was doing his job- and he did it well and with aplomb and deserves appreciation and a pat on the back from the government. The MEA in its report should congratulate the Ambassador and ask others in their report card about what they have done to promote Brand India, Wines of India or Make-in-India so far as wines are concerned.
To Ambassador Puri I say Cheers! Jai Ho!! Carry on promoting Indian wines across the EU. We must become a globally important wine producing nation to reckon with in 20-30 years and efforts by people like you are extremely important and are well appreciated.
Subhash Arora
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