India inaugurates new Consulate building in Shanghai

India on Sunday opened its new state-of-the-art Consulate building in Shanghai, marking its first relocation in 32 years in China’s main business hub. The Shanghai Consulate caters to India’s burgeoning business community in the eastern region of China, home to top trade and business hubs like Yiwu, where a number of Indian businesses are present. The sprawling new Chancery building at the prominent Dawning Centre in Changning District, covering 1,436.63 sqm — more than double the size of the previous one — was inaugurated by Indian Ambassador to China Pradeep Kumar Rawat. It will commence full operations from its new premises on December 8, a press release by the Consulate said. Underlining the importance of the opening of the new Consulate for the first time since 1992, Rawat said this year remains special as India and China celebrated the 75th year of diplomatic ties. Shanghai remains unique for its ties with India, now represented by a truly world-class international level Consulate General of India, he said, according to details provided by Indian officials. Over 400 guests, including members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of the Shanghai Municipal Government, and members of the Indian diaspora from Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Suzhou, Nanjing, Yiwu, Keqiao and other cities under the Consulate’s jurisdiction were present at the opening, the press release said. Consul General Pratik Mathur in his address reaffirmed the Consulate’s commitment to ensuring seamless services for Indian nationals and Chinese partners. Thanking the Ministry of External Affairs and local Shanghai authorities for their support, he said the expansion enables the consolidation of consular, commercial, cultural, and administrative functions on a single, secure, modern floorplate. This, he said, will result in enhanced efficiency and improved public service delivery in providing seamless services for Indian nationals and Chinese partners. Highlighting the significance of strengthening India’s oldest consular presence in mainland China, he added that the Dawning Centre’s location in the Hongqiao–Gubei foreign business corridor, home to several diplomatic missions and major multinational corporations, offers the Consulate an excellent strategic vantage point. @@@@