'New Normal' in Corona-Era Diplomacy: India's envoy virtually presents Letter of Credence to Sri Lankan Prez

The 1992 batch IFS officer flew from Delhi to Colombo onboard a transport aircraft last week

Senior Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, Gopal Baglay, on Thursday took over as New Delhi’s envoy to Colombo, by virtually presenting the letter of credence to Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in a ceremony held through video-conference – setting yet another standard of 'new normal' in the corona-era diplomatic protocol.

With the island nation under lockdown since March 20 to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, the ceremony was held through video-conference, with Baglay presenting the formal letter of credence signed by President Ram Nath Kovind to the Sri Lankan President.

Baglay, who joined the IFS in 1992, flew from New Delhi to Colombo last Friday, onboard an Indian Air Force (IAF) transport aircraft.

When a diplomat takes over as an envoy of his country in a foreign capital, he formally presents a Letter of Credence signed by the Head of State of the country he represents to the Head of State of the country where he has been posted. A solemn ceremony is generally held at the office or official residence of the Head of the State of the receiving country to mark the presentation of the Letter of Credence. It also marks the formal beginning of the tenure of the envoy in his new office.

But as the COVID-19 outbreak prompted Sri Lankan Government to enforce a lockdown on March 20, the office of the president of the island nation decided to scale down the ceremony and hold it through a video-conference. Baglay, dressed in formal bandhgala suit with a mask on his face, joined the video-conference from the High Commission of India on the Galle Road of Colombo and presented Letter of Credence to Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who was at the presidential palace at Janadhipati Mawatha in the capital of the island nation. The Sri Lankan President also had a mask covering his face.

Baglay was appointed as India’s new High Commissioner to Sri Lanka in February. Even before he could travel to the island nation to take up his new assignment, the travel and transport curbs, lockdowns, and ban on arrival of international passenger aircraft were enforced in both the nations to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

He, however, flew from New Delhi to Colombo last Friday on board the IAF transport aircraft, which also carried a 12.5-tonne consignment of essential medicines and protective gear for healthcare equipment – a gift from India to Sri Lanka to help the neighbouring country to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Baglay thanked Gotabaya Rajapaksa for “arranging the traditional ceremony in an innovative manner and stated that the use of technology to overcome challenges, such as those posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic, had been stressed by the leadership of India as well as Sri Lanka. He pointed out that the novel initiative underscored the significance the two countries attach to their friendly and multi-faceted ties, and also highlights India’s continued commitment to closely work with Sri Lanka in facing common challenges.