Career diplomat Patrick Rata (Ngāti Kurī, Te Aupōuri) is set to be the new High Commissioner to India.
Rata, who is currently serving as New Zealand Acting High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, is expected to leave for New Delhi soon.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced Rata’s appointment this week.
“Our diplomats play a pivotal role in advancing and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world. We are pleased to appoint senior diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to these important positions.”
The appointment is especially important as the coalition government attempts to secure an elusive free trade deal with India and firm up security and defence arrangments, with Peters signalling that it is “committed to stepping up New Zealand’s relationships in South Asia.”
Rata has previously served as New Zealand Ambassador to the Republic of Korea and Italy.
Experienced in multilateral issues, in earlier postings he has worked on Security Council issues as part of the New Zealand Permanent Mission to the UN.
Before becoming a diplomat, Rata worked for ten years as a senior official at the World Trade Organization.
