Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne has announced the appointment of Mr Peter Truswell and Ms Rowan Ainsworth as Australia’s next Consul-Generals in Mumbai and Kolkata, respectively.
The Consulate-General in Mumbai plays a significant role in advancing Australia’s trade, commercial and investment interests in the western states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa. As India’s financial and commercial capital, Mumbai is a hub for businesses and is seen as the centre of an important market for Australian services.
India is a significant trading partner, with two-way investment reaching $36.7 billion in 2019. The India Economic Strategy identified Maharashtra and Gujarat as among 10 priority states for expansion of Australia’s trade and investment.
Mr Truswell is a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and was most recently Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian Embassy in Kabul. He has previously served overseas in Seoul and Geneva.
Mr Truswell holds a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from the University of Sydney; a Graduate Diploma in Foreign Affairs and Trade from Monash University; and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the College of Law, New South Wales.
In Kolkata, the Consulate-General plays a key role in furthering Australia’s trade, commercial and investment interests in the eastern and northeast Indian states of West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Sikkim and Tripura.
We are excited to introduce our new Consul-General, Rowan Ainsworth! pic.twitter.com/GnUHHoWmy4
— Australian Consulate-General Kolkata (@AusCGKolkata) April 1, 2021
Australia’s economic links with West Bengal and neighbouring states are substantial and expanding, particularly in the mining and Mining Equipment Technology and Services sectors. The India Economic Strategy identified West Bengal among 10 priority states to expand Australian trade and investment links.
The newly appointed Consul-General in Kolkata Ms Ainsworth is a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and was most recently Counsellor at the Australian Embassy in Paris. She has previously served overseas in Moscow and Tokyo.
Ms Ainsworth holds a Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Sydney.
Minister Payne also thanked former Consul-Generals Mr Greg Wilcock (Mumbai) and Mr Andrew Ford (Kolkata) for their work in establishing the Consulate and advancing Australia’s interests in India.
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