Indian envoy plays tennis with Australian PM Anthony Albanese on last day in Canberra

Manpreet Vohra, the Indian High Commissioner to Australia, made his last day in Canberra count with a tennis match against Australian PM Anthony Albanese. In a post on X, he shared a couple of pictures from the game and said that he is returning India with amazing memories.

"On my last day in #Canberra, honoured to play tennis with H.E. Prime Minister @AlboMP. It has been a privilege to serve as High Commissioner to #Australia. I return home with amazing memories, of which today's will be extra special!  Thank you, Sir. Farewell, Australia," he said in his post. 

This comes after Nicholas McCaffrey started his tenure as Australia's Deputy High Commissioner by riding an auto-rickshaw to his Delhi office on December 29. McCaffrey succeeded Sarah Storey and said that he looks forward to working under the leadership of Australian High Commissioner Philip Green in India.

"Namaste India! Terrific to start as Australia's Deputy High Commissioner in India, replacing the irrepressible Sarah Storey. Look forward to working with #TeamAustralia in India, under the leadership of @AusHCIndia Philip Green," McCaffrey posted on X.

Earlier in December, Australian envoy Philip Green lauded the India-Australia relationship, saying it is at its "highest point" in history. "Our relationship is at the highest point in our history. But I'm not here to rest on laurels. I'm here to get more things done. I'm here to drive the relationship further and to drive it faster. That's what the Prime Minister told me to do when he sent me here," the envoy said.

"On the economic front, our two-way trade has grown by more than 50 per cent in the last five years. And last year, we signed the landmark Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA). This deal has provided the momentum for negotiations towards an even more ambitious goal: a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement or CECA," Green added.

Notably, India and Australia have also implemented an economic cooperation and trade agreement (ECTA) and are now negotiating the expansion of its scope for the CECA.
The India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (IndAusECTA) came into effect on December 29, 2022. Signed on April 2, 2022, the ECTA was ratified on November 21.