BY ROSMALIS ANUAR
NEW DELHI/HYDERABAD: The 4th Asean-India Media Exchange Programme 2023, involving 16 media representatives from Asean, successfully concluded Wednesday after seven days of insightful programmes that took the team across two important Indian cities – New Delhi and Hyderabad.
They travelled from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, and it was their first time visiting India. They were exposed to the vibrant, varied, and rich culture of the nation and interacted with the locals, which was a memorable and eye-opening experience for them.
Undoubtedly, their trip to one of the seven wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal, to view the famous structure up close and take in its Indo-Islamic design, was one of the most memorable experiences.
In Hyderabad, they got to see the biggest “one-man collection museums” in the entire globe, the Salar Jung Museum, which displayed over 46,000 art objects, 8,000 manuscripts and 60,000 printed books ranging from the second century BC to the early 20th century.
The participants also visited Ramoji Film City, the world’s largest film studio complex certified by the Guinness World Records, as well as Shilparamam crafts village.
The media delegation also had the chance to learn about significant initiatives and developments that have shaped India in the 21st century, such as Bharat Biotech, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), which serves as the country’s umbrella organisation for running retail payment and settlement systems.
They were also briefed on India’s G20 Presidency this year and attended a networking event with local journalists in New Delhi at the 4th Asean-India Youth Summit’s opening ceremony in Hyderabad.
Merry Ann Bastasa from the Philippines told Bernama that the visit was very interesting and enriching as she was given an opportunity not only to dive into Indian culture but also into her Asean neighbours through the members of the delegation.
“What struck me the most actually were the big similarities of our cultures like how we value family, how we greet visitors and also how we take pride in our tradition so I think this is really a good experience.
“Aside from the cultural aspect, we also had the opportunity to meet some of the officials from the G20 and private sectors that are thriving in India and it’s also a good thing that they help us to really understand the economy and the policies in this country,” said the Philippine Bureau of Broadcast Services reporter.
For Nguyen Tien Anh from Vietnam, this trip played a vital role in his career as a journalist as it helped him to understand more about Asean-India ties and people-to-people relations.
“I have a chance to visit CII and meet with the officials to understand FDI (foreign direct investment) inflow and outflow from India and how India and Asean play a vital role in the global value chain especially after Covid-19 and international crisis now, how we overcome those challenges together.
“This is also a special opportunity for me to wholeheartedly understand the relation between neighbouring countries, especially for the Asean countries, so it’s really nice to have outdoor activities and meet with you guys,” said the Vietnam Television (VTV) reporter.
Dwi Bagus Suprayitno from Indonesia concurred that the programme was so engaging as he had the opportunity to meet and share knowledge with media representatives from other Asean countries.
However, the TVRI reporter hoped future media exchange programmes could include a visit to local media organisations or broadcasting companies.
“I think it will be a fruitful discussion between us the journalists from Asean countries and also from India to share the knowledge and then share the things that we have been through every single day and also it will be more helpful for us to have a better understanding,” he said.
Held annually by India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the visit aimed to promote continuous media cooperation and multilateral exchanges, build regional capacity through knowledge sharing, and strengthen mutual understanding between media representatives from Asean and India.
Starting their formal relations in 1992, Asean and India elevated their ties through the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership inked in Nov, 2022. – BERNAMA
