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.
History 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".
The Australian Government has offered diplomatic representation in India since 1943. 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. 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.
On 21 May 2020, High Commissioner Barry O'Farrell presented his commission to the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, in India's first-ever virtual credentials ceremony. 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.
List of high commissioners # Officeholder Other offices Term start date Term end date Time in office Notes n/a (Acting) D. J. Munro (Acting) Kevin Thomas Kelly (Acting) (Acting) Rob Laurie (Acting) David Evans n/a Darren Gribble Rob Laurie Patrick Suckling 30 June 2023 Philip Green 1 July 2023
Notes : Also non-resident Ambassador to Nepal, 1960–1986. : Also non-resident Ambassador to Bhutan, 2002–present.
Consuls-general LocationOpenConsular districtConsulate-General, Mumbai1967/1979Maharashtra, Gujarat, GoaConsulate-General, Chennai2007Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, PuducherryConsulate-General, Kolkata1970/2019West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Sikkim, TripuraConsulate-General, BengaluruTBD
Mumbai 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, before being reopened on 6 February 1979. 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.
NameStart of termEnd of termReferencesJohn Melhuish (DHC)21 August 196724 February 1973Thomas Venables Holland (DHC)24 February 197313 May 1973C. A. Bromwich (DHC)13 May 19736 March 1975Eric Hanfield6 March 197530 April 1976Consulate closedRobert Jolly (acting)6 February 19794 October 1979John Dalrymple Colquhoun-Denvers4 October 197915 April 1982Ian Tricks15 April 198213 December 1984G. R. Hawker13 December 198412 December 1986Gavan Bromilow12 December 198614 December 1989Stephanie Daly14 December 198910 January 1992J. N. Elliot10 January 1992May 1993Christopher QuirkJune 1993199719972006Peter ForbyJuly 20066 July 2010Stephen Waters6 July 2010September 2013Mark PierceSeptember 201319 August 2016Tony Huber19 August 201625 February 2020Greg Wilcock25 February 202014 April 2021Peter Truswell14 April 2021date
Kolkata 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.
NameStart of termEnd of termReferencesDouglas Sturkey (DHC)18 June 19706 June 1972Brian Meade (DHC/CG)6 June 197212 February 1975Rodney Hodgson12 February 197530 April 1976Consulate closedAndrew Ford10 January 2019April 2021Rowan Ainsworth14 April 2021January 2024Hugh BoylanJanuary 2024Current
Chennai In 2023 Chennai received a new Consul General (name TBC). The departure of Sarah Kirlew was seen as a sad day. NameStart of termEnd of termReferencesAminur RahmanJanuary 2007July 2010David HollyJuly 2010January 2014Sean KellyJanuary 2014November 2017Susan GraceNovember 2017March 2021Sarah KirlewMarch 2021date
References
External links
Australian High Commission, New Delhi – India, Bhutan Australian Consulate-General Chennai, India Australian Consulate-General Kolkata, India Australian Consulate-General Mumbai, India