India's Envoy To Australia Presents Credentials To President Via Videoconferencing

“This was the first time in the history of Rashtrapati Bhavan that credentials were presented through the digital medium,” an official statement Rashtrapati Bhavan read.

Australia’s 21st High Commissioner to India Barry O'Farrell.

New Delhi: In a first, President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday accepted credentials from Barry O'Farrell as Australia’s 21st High Commissioner to Republic Of India via video conferencing. Keeping in mind the worldwide lockdown imposed due to novel Coronavirus outbreak, virtual credential ceremony was organised for the first time where High Commissioners of six other countries also presented their credentials to the President. “I am immensely honoured to be taking over as Australia’s new High Commissioner to India – a role that will allow me to expand the ties between our two countries and importantly to advance the interests, the opportunities and the futures of citizens of both our two countries,” O’Farrell said after presenting his credentials. “This was the first time in the history of Rashtrapati Bhavan that credentials were presented through the digital medium,” an official statement Rashtrapati Bhavan read.

President Kovind accepted credentials from Ambassadors and High Commissioners of Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Senegal, Trinidad & Tobago, Mauritius, Australia, Cote d’Ivoire and Rwanda through video conference today. Details: https://t.co/ADiBJtntEC pic.twitter.com/0D7P6VWrWi

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) May 21, 2020

India and Australia are like-minded democracies with a shared commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. Significant trade and economic relationship; strong strategic and defence ties; Indian diaspora in Australia driving the substantial education, cultural and tourism links; and deepening people-to-people linkages - make India one of Australia’s closest partners in the Indo-Pacific. “It is an exciting time to be in India, which as a civilizational power will have an enormous role to play in shaping the post-COVID world. I believe this crisis will bring Australia and India even closer together as two Indian Ocean democracies with complementary values,” he added. Reminiscing his first visit to India, the High Commissioner said, “Urged on by my friends in Australia’s remarkable and entrepreneurial Indian diaspora, I first visited India ten years ago looking for potential economic opportunities ahead of a state election campaign. I have been visiting regularly since and have witnessed the great transformation in India and in the Australia-India partnership.” As per reports, O’Farrell will also have non-resident accreditation to Bhutan. Australia and Bhutan enjoy a warm relationship, built on strong people-to-people links and cooperation on international education. O’Farrell served in the Parliament of New South Wales from 1995 to 2015, including as the State’s 43rd Premier between 2011 and 2014. As Premier, he initiated and led annual trade missions to India to promote economic, cultural and social links between New South Wales and the states of India. Apart from Australia, President Kovind today accepted credentials from the envoys of six other countries through video-conference. Choe Hui Chol, Ambassador of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea; Abdoul Wahab Haidara, Ambassador of the Republic of Senegal and Roger Gopaul, High Commissioner of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, among others presented their credentials to the President. Santi Bai Hanoomanjee, High Commissioner of the Republic of Mauritius; M N’DRY Eric Camille, Ambassador of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire and Jacqueline Mukangira, High Commissioner of the Republic of Rwanda, also presented their credentials.