Suckling becomes Australia's high commissioner to India

Career diplomat Patrick Suckling takes the post of Australia's next high commissioner to India.

It is the first ambassadorial posting for Suckling and comes after Australian PM Julia Gillard's October visit to New Delhi marked the beginning of a new chapter in the Australian-Indian relations. During her visit to the country, the PM announced her government's intensions to strengthen economic and political ties with the world's biggest democracy.

Suckling's first event as the new high commissioner will be the ministerial-level talks on economic, regional and security issues in New Delhi and Mumbai from January 20-23.

Australia's Foreign Minister Bob Carr who announced the appointment late December, highlighted the importance of the role. "India is our fourth-largest export market with two-way trade exceeding A$18 billion a year," he said. "It is a key market for education services as Australia's second-largest source of international students."

Suckling was previously a career diplomat in New Delhi and Washington as well as an adviser to Howard government Foreign Minister Alexander Downer in 2007. He was also a senior official to APEC in 2008 and headed the international division in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet from March 2009 to May 2011.