Tag: Vikram Doraiswami

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UK House Speaker Hosts Indian Envoy For Diwali Celebrations

Earlier, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also welcomed guests from the Hindu community at 10 Downing Street for Diwali celebrations.

As several United Kingdom politicians have opened their doors to the Indian population ahead of the Diwali celebrations, Speaker of the UK House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle, hosted the Indian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Vikram Doraiswami.

“Following his recent visit to #India for the #P20,@CommonsSpeaker@LindsayHoyle_MPhosted a Diwali reception @UKParliamenttoday. HC @VDoraiswamiwas among the guests,” the Indian High Commission posted on X (formerly Twitter).

With Diwali, also known as Deepwali, commencing on November 12, Hindus and festival lovers across the world prepare to embrace the festival. The five-day-long festival is the festival of lights for Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs, which symbolises the spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil.

Earlier, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also welcomed guests from the Hindu community at 10 Downing Street for Diwali celebrations.

“Tonight Prime Minister @RishiSunak welcomed guests from the Hindu community to Downing Street ahead of #Diwali – a celebration of the triumph of light over darkness,” as per the UK Prime Minister’s office’s official handle on ‘X’.

Doraiswami had recently visited India for the P20 summit.

“The first-ever G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit (P20 Summit) hosted by the world’s largest democracy concluded at India International Convention Centre, Yashobhoomi, Dwarka, Delhi today, October 14, 2023, with parliamentarians from across the world coming together and reaffirming their commitment to continue their joint work to make an effective and meaningful parliamentary contribution to the G20 process,” the G20 press release stated.

Meanwhile, PM Modi and PM Sunak also held a telephone conversation last week.

The two leaders agreed on the importance of securing an ambitious deal that benefitted both sides.

Sunak also congratulated PM Modi on Team India’s strong performance in the ongoing Cricket World Cup.

Meanwhile, talks for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Sunak and Modi began in 2022, with the 12th round of negotiations, taking place from August 8-31 this year.

On the other hand, India is having a strong run in the ongoing Cricket World Cup and is sitting at the top of the table after winning all eight matches it has played so far. (ANI)

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Vikram Doraiswami presents credentials to King Charles

He further added that the resumption of the facility will enable friends from the UK to travel far more easily to India…reports Asian Lite News

Vikram Doraiswami, High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom, on Thursday presented credentials to King Charles III at Buckingham Palace calling it a “very special moment” for him and his wife.

High Commission of India in London tweeted, “HC @VDoraiswami presented credentials to His Majesty the King at Buckingham Palace, after which he hosted a Vin d’honneur. Thanks to @tariqahmadbt and many Indian and UK friends for being there. @MEAIndia @IndianDiplomacy @indiandiplomats.” Vikram Doraiswami tweeted, “A blink of the eye for a great nation. A moment that has and will be repeated by other, better, reps. And yet, a very special moment for my wife and I, as we follow three ancestors to serve with greatest pride, an Incredibly, heartstoppingly, remarkable India.”

The Buckingham Palace also informed that King Charles III held audiences with incoming High Commissioners and Ambassadors. The Buckingham Palace tweeted, “Today The King held Audiences for incoming High Commissioners and Ambassadors: His Excellency Mr. Vikram Doraiswami, High Commissioner for the Republic of India. His Excellency Mr. Eitvydas Bajarunas, Ambassador from the Republic of Lithuania.”

Earlier on December 7, Vikram Doraiswami held a meeting with UK’s Deputy National Security Adviser for International Affairs Sarah MacIntosh. During the meeting, both sides discussed bilateral relations and global challenges faced by the world.

High Commission of India in London tweeted, “HC @VDoraiswami met Deputy NSA @SarahMacFCDO today to compare notes on bilateral ties, including Defence, Security, and trade They also discussed global challenges of the day. @MEAIndia @FCDOGovUK.”

On December 5, Vikram Doraiswami announced that India is all set to resume the e-Visa facility for UK citizens travelling to India. In a video message on Twitter, Doraiswami said that the service will be made available to the citizens forthwith and the dates will be announced shortly. He further added that the resumption of the facility will enable friends from the UK to travel far more easily to India.

“We are rolling out e-visas once again and this service will be made available to you forthwith. That should enable friends from the UK far more easily to India. So welcome back, e-visas are up ahead and all of our other services including visas at your doorstep remain available to you. We look forward to a good winter season in which everyone gets to celebrate their festivals in India which is the land of festivals,” Vikram Doraiswami said. (ANI)

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London Gets New Indian Envoy

Indian High Commissioner to UK Mr Vikram Doraiswami with a cross-section of the Indian community in London

New Indian High Commissioner to UK Mr Vikram Doraiswami begins his tenure at India House in London … writes Ashis Ray

 It’s been a week since India’s new High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami, has been in office. Perhaps not since P.C. Alexander took up this position in 1985, has a head of India’s diplomatic mission in Britain faced as challenging a circumstance vis-a-vis the Indian origin community in this country.

An Indian High Commissioner’s task in the UK is broadly divided into three responsibilities — improving relations with the host government; ensuring efficient consular services, including the issuance of passports and visas since this is significantly revenue generating; and managing the two million-odd Indian origin community.

Indian High Commissioner to UK Mr Vikram Doraiswami paying tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Parliament Square in London

  Doraiswami, 53, is one of the youngest Indian High Commissioners ever to be sent to Britain. In the past 25 years, career diplomats selected for this post have come either just after retirement or for a final term before doing so.

Salman Haidar, Ronen Sen, Kamlesh Sharma and Ranjan Mathai fell into the former category. Nareshwar Dayal, Shiv Mukerjee, Nalin Surie, Jaimini Bhagwati, Yash Sinha, Ruchi Ghanashyam and Gaitri Kumar belonged to the latter.

Doraiswami to his credit almost unprecedentedly hit the ground running. After landing in London, he went directly to statues of Indian icons in the British capital.

He tweeted, “started this new journey of service to #India with a personal moment before #Mahatma Gandhi and #BabaSahebAmbedkar.”

Indian High Commissioner to UK Mr Vikram Doraiswami paying tribute to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar

He also promptly attended to the host government, meeting senior officials in the defence ministry, the home office and the foreign office. A limited free trade agreement (FTA) is on the cards between the two nations, with a mutually declared target of concluding negotiations on this by Diwali.

After his discussions with the permanent secretary in the UK’s Ministry of Defence, David Williams, Doraiswami tweeted that he had a “rich exchange” on “imp issues of Defence & Security”, which he added “is an important pillar of India UK Roadmap 2030”. Whitehall is hopeful of enhancing its armaments exports to India.   

Following his talks with the permanent secretary in the Home Office, Matthew Rycroft, the High Commissioner said “here’s to progress together on migration, mobility, homeland security”. This was interpreted in diplomatic parlance as “work in progress”. Emigration to Britain has been a ticklish issue between the two sides since the 1960s. Finally, Doraiswami exchanged views with the permanent secretary in the Foreign Office, Philip Barton, formerly British High Commissioner to India.

Indian High Commissioner to UK Mr Vikram Doraiswami with a cross-section of the Indian community in London
Indian High Commissioner to UK Mr Vikram Doraiswami addressing the Indian community in London
Indian High Commissioner to UK Mr Vikram Doraiswami with Lord Mayor of the City of London Mr Vincent Keaveny
Indian High Commissioner to UK Mr Vikram Doraiswami paying tribute to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar
Indian High Commissioner to UK Mr Vikram Doraiswami paying tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Parliament Square in London