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List of high commissioners of Australia to India

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The high commissioner of Australia to India is an officer of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the head of the High Commission of the Commonwealth of Australia to India in New Delhi. The position has the rank and status of an ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary and is currently held by Philip Green, since 1 July 2023. The high commissioner also holds non-resident accreditation as Ambassador to Bhutan since diplomatic relations were established on 14 September 2002.[1][2] On 21 May 2020, O'Farrell presented his commission to the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, in India's first-ever virtual credentials ceremony.[3] On 7 October 2022, O'Farrell presented his credentials as ambassador to the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, at Tashichho Dzong in Thimphu.[4]

High Commissioner of Australia to India
Incumbent
Philip Green
since 1 July 2023 (2023-07-01)
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
StyleHis Excellency
Reports toMinister for Foreign Affairs
SeatNew Delhi
NominatorPrime Minister of Australia
AppointerGovernor General of Australia
Inaugural holderIven Mackay
Formation2 November 1943
WebsiteAustralian High Commission, New Delhi – India, Bhutan
The Australian High Commission in New Delhi
High Commissioner Harinder Sidhu presenting her commission to the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, on 4 April 2016.

History

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In December 1939, the federal government appointed Roy Gollan as its first official trade representative in India, based in Calcutta. An assistant trade commissioner was later appointed in New Delhi, while Australian interests were also represented on the Eastern Group Supply Council during World War II, establishing "a firm Australian presence in India in the 1940s".[5]

The Australian Government has offered diplomatic representation in India since 1943.[6] Between 1960 and 1986, the high commissioner also had non-resident accreditation as Ambassador to Nepal. A resident Australian Embassy in Nepal was opened on 27 April 1984, but the first resident ambassador was not appointed until 4 May 1986.[7][8][9] The high commission's work is assisted by multiple consulates throughout the country that have visiting and reporting responsibilities, as well as handling consular and trade matters for the high commission.

List of high commissioners

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# Officeholder Other offices Term start date Term end date Time in office Notes
1 Iven Mackay n/a 2 November 1943 (1943-11-02) 29 May 1948 (1948-05-29) 4 years, 209 days [10][11][12][13]
− Charles Kevin (Acting) 29 May 1948 (1948-05-29) 15 January 1949 (1949-01-15) 231 days [14]
2 Roy Gollan 15 January 1949 (1949-01-15) March 1952 (1952-03) 3 years, 1 month [15][16][17][18]
3 Walter Crocker March 1952 (1952-03) 19 March 1955 (1955-03-19) 3 years [19][20]
− D. J. Munro (Acting) 19 March 1955 (1955-03-19) 22 April 1955 (1955-04-22) 34 days [21]
4 Peter Heydon 22 April 1955 (1955-04-22) 13 November 1958 (1958-11-13) 3 years, 205 days [22][23][24]
5 Walter Crocker A 13 November 1958 (1958-11-13) 15 March 1962 (1962-03-15) 3 years, 122 days [25][26][27]
− Kevin Thomas Kelly (Acting) A 15 March 1962 (1962-03-15) 10 June 1962 (1962-06-10) 87 days [28]
− Bill Pritchett (Acting) A 10 June 1962 (1962-06-10) 21 February 1963 (1963-02-21) 256 days [29][30][31]
6 James Plimsoll A 21 February 1963 (1963-02-21) 28 January 1965 (1965-01-28) 1 year, 342 days [32][33]
7 Arthur Tange A 28 January 1965 (1965-01-28) 25 January 1970 (1970-01-25) 4 years, 362 days [34]
− Rob Laurie (Acting) A 25 January 1970 (1970-01-25) 1 March 1970 (1970-03-01) 35 days [35]
8 Patrick Shaw A 1 March 1970 (1970-03-01) 26 September 1973 (1973-09-26) 3 years, 209 days [36][37][38]
9 Bruce Grant A 26 September 1973 (1973-09-26) 15 December 1975 (1975-12-15) 2 years, 80 days [39][40]
10 Peter Curtis A 26 February 1976 (1976-02-26) 5 December 1979 (1979-12-05) 3 years, 282 days [41]
11 Gordon Upton A 5 December 1979 (1979-12-05) 31 May 1984 (1984-05-31) 4 years, 178 days [42]
12 Graham Feakes A 31 May 1984 (1984-05-31) November 1990 (1990-11) 6 years, 5 months [43][44]
13 David Evans n/a November 1990 (1990-11) February 1994 (1994-02) 3 years, 3 months [45]
14 Darren Gribble February 1994 (1994-02) 25 July 1997 (1997-07-25) 3 years, 5 months [46]
15 Rob Laurie 257 July 1997 (1997-07-257) 28 August 2001 (2001-08-28) 4 years, 34 days [47]
16 Penny Wensley B 28 August 2001 (2001-08-28) 9 August 2004 (2004-08-09) 2 years, 347 days [48]
17 John McCarthy B 9 August 2004 (2004-08-09) 8 June 2009 (2009-06-08) 4 years, 303 days [49]
18 Peter Varghese B 8 June 2009 (2009-06-08) 30 December 2012 (2012-12-30) 3 years, 205 days [50]
19 Patrick Suckling B 30 December 2012 (2012-12-30) 11 February 2016 (2016-02-11) 3 years, 43 days [51][52][53]
20 Harinder Sidhu B 11 February 2016 (2016-02-11) 18 February 2020 (2020-02-18) 4 years, 7 days [54]
21 Barry O'Farrell B 21 May 2020 (2020-05-21) 30 June 2023 4 years, 191 days [55]
22 Philip Green 1 July 2023 1 year, 150 days

Notes

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^A : Also non-resident Ambassador to Nepal, 1960–1986.
^B : Also non-resident Ambassador to Bhutan, 2002–present.

Consuls-general

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Location Open Consular district
Consulate-General, Mumbai 1967/1979 Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa
Consulate-General, Chennai 2007 Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Puducherry
Consulate-General, Kolkata 1970/2019 West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Sikkim, Tripura
Consulate-General, Bengaluru TBD [56][57]

Mumbai

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The consulate-general was first opened in Bombay on the 21 August 1967, initially with a Deputy High Commissioner in charge until 1973, but was closed on the 30 April 1976 due to financial constraints,[58] before being reopened on 6 February 1979.[59] An Australian Trade Commission had been located in the city since 1939, with Roy Gollan (later high commissioner) serving as trade commissioner from 1939 to 1948.[60][61]

Name Start of term End of term References
John Melhuish (DHC) 21 August 1967 24 February 1973 [59][62]
Thomas Venables Holland (DHC) 24 February 1973 13 May 1973 [59]
C. A. Bromwich (DHC) 13 May 1973 6 March 1975 [59]
Eric Hanfield 6 March 1975 30 April 1976 [59]
Consulate closed
Robert Jolly (acting) 6 February 1979 4 October 1979 [59]
John Dalrymple Colquhoun-Denvers 4 October 1979 15 April 1982 [59]
Ian Tricks 15 April 1982 13 December 1984 [59]
G. R. Hawker 13 December 1984 12 December 1986 [59]
Gavan Bromilow 12 December 1986 14 December 1989 [59]
Stephanie Daly 14 December 1989 10 January 1992 [59]
J. N. Elliot 10 January 1992 May 1993 [59]
Christopher Quirk June 1993 1997 [59]
1997 2006
Peter Forby July 2006 6 July 2010 [63]
Stephen Waters 6 July 2010 September 2013 [63]
Mark Pierce September 2013 19 August 2016 [64]
Tony Huber 19 August 2016 25 February 2020 [65]
Greg Wilcock 25 February 2020 14 April 2021 [66]
Peter Truswell 14 April 2021 date [67]

Kolkata

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On 18 June 1970, the post was originally opened as the Deputy High Commission, Calcutta, to replace the Trade Commission which had existed in the city since 1939. Like the Bombay post, the Deputy High Commission was downgraded to a consulate-general on 13 May 1973, before being closed in April 1976 due to budget constraints.[68][58]

Name Start of term End of term References
Douglas Sturkey (DHC) 18 June 1970 6 June 1972 [69]
Brian Meade (DHC/CG) 6 June 1972 12 February 1975
Rodney Hodgson 12 February 1975 30 April 1976
Consulate closed
Andrew Ford 10 January 2019 April 2021 [70][71]
Rowan Ainsworth 14 April 2021 January 2024 [72]
Hugh Boylan January 2024 Current [73]

Chennai

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Name Start of term End of term References
Aminur Rahman January 2007 July 2010 [74]
David Holly July 2010 January 2014 [74]
Sean Kelly January 2014 November 2017 [75]
Susan Grace November 2017 March 2021 [76]
Sarah Kirlew March 2021 date [77]

References

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  1. ^ CA 2754: Australian High Commission, India [New Delhi], National Archives of Australia, retrieved 26 April 2015
  2. ^ Downer, Alexander (15 September 2002). "Australia and Bhutan Establish Diplomatic Relations" (Media Release). Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Minister for Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
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  74. ^ a b Smith, Stephen (6 July 2010). "Diplomatic Appointment - Consul-General in Chennai" (Press release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Archived from the original on 20 February 2011.
  75. ^ Bishop, Julie (10 January 2014). "Appointment of Consul-General in Chennai" (Press release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government.
  76. ^ Bishop, Julie (24 November 2017). "Consul-General in Chennai" (Press release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government.
  77. ^ Payne, Marise (19 March 2021). "Consul-General in Chennai" (Press release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government.
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