For years, the India ambassador to the Dominican Republic was based in Havana, Cuba. As of this January with the arrival of second secretary Arup Saha, India officially opened its embassy in Santo Domingo on 1 January 2022. India Ambassador Abbagani Ramu arrived on 30 January 2022.
Ambassador Abbagani is the Joint Secretary in India’s Ministry of External Affairs. He was appointed in October 2021.
The appointment of Abbagani, a senior foreign affairs officer, is seen as an effort to strengthen the outreach of India in the Latin America and Caribbean region.
In Santo Domingo, the president of the Round Table of the Commonwealth Countries in the Dominican Republic, Fernando Gonzalez Nicolas, called the decision to open the India Embassy in Santo Domingo “very positive.” The Dominican Republic exported US$665 million to India in 2021, mostly gold. The DR imports cotton textiles and ready-made garments, drugs and pharmaceuticals.
Gonzalez Nicolás, who served as India’s first consul general in the Dominican Republic, said the embassy will contribute to increases in trade and investments. Gonzalez Nicolás made the comments when participating in the 73rd anniversary of the Republic of India held at the National Botanical Gardens. At the event, India Embassy charge d’affaires Arub Kumar Saha read a message from the President of India.
Also in attendance were Antonio Lama, consul of India; Dharmendra Basita, president of the Indian Chamber of Commerce in the Dominican Republic; Campos de Moya, former consul of India, among other businessmen and special guests.
31 January 2022