Indian Ambassador to Bahrain touched by new Indian Ambassador to Bahrain touched by ‘warmth, generosity and hospitality’

TDT | Manama                                       

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Reported by Mahir Haneef

In the two months of serving as the Ambassador of India to the Kingdom, he has been moved by the warmth and generosity of the people of Bahrain, His Excellency Vinod K Jacob said.

The new Ambassador shared his experience during an interview with The Daily Tribune in response to a query as to what his favourite thing about Bahrain is. His Excellency said, “This is the first time I am serving in this region. I have previously served in China, in New York - at the permanent mission of India to the United Nations - and in Sri Lanka.

So this is a new region. But what struck me the most in this region was the high degree of commonalities that is there between India and Bahrain. These are all the result of historical contacts. But historical contacts don’t necessarily have to make a people warm towards another foreign country or foreign people.

I have been most touched by the warmth and generosity of the people of Bahrain - whether it is high officials, the lower-level officials, or the Indian community - and I can say that the Indian community has imbibed some of the qualities of the Bahraini people and their traditions of hospitality. I am very proud and happy in this regard. I really feel proud to be the Ambassador of India to Bahrain, mainly because of this friendship between the two sides.”

Warm welcome

Further, His Excellency said he received a very warm welcome from the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain. “In the two months that I have been here, I must say that I have been very warmly welcomed by the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain. The Foreign Ministry in particular, as its protocol has been excellent.

The support I have received from them and the support that I have received from all the various ministries of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Royal Court has been exceptional. I couldn’t have asked for a better start to my stint here,” the Ambassador said.

The hospitality of the people of Bahrain also played a role in feeling welcome in the Kingdom, the Ambassador said. “People in Bahrain are equally friendly towards India. They know India quite well, they are aware of the long history between the two countries, and they have immediately put me at ease in this posting,” His Excellency said.