Since the start of 2026, the Consulate General of India in Shanghai, under Consul General Pratik Mathur, has carried out an extensive programme of engagements with municipal authorities, industry groups, think tanks and international partners to deepen educational, cultural, commercial and people-to-people ties across eastern China. These activities have reinforced India’s 3Ts priorities — Trade, Technology and Tourism — and strengthened solidarity with Global South partners.
Local government outreach laid the groundwork for broader cooperation. In Shanghai, Consul General Mathur met Mayor Gong Zheng on the sidelines of the inauguration of the SCO Cooperation Center for Metabolic Diseases. The meeting built on momentum from the SCO Summit in Tianjin and the resumption of direct air links, reaffirming commitments to expanded bilateral and multilateral cooperation under SCO and BRICS with a focus on connectivity and people-to-people exchanges.
In Ningbo, Mathur met Bao Xianping, Director General of the Foreign Affairs Office, to discuss the substantial community of Indian medical students at Ningbo Medical University, the historic Ayuwang (Asoka) Temple — the only ancient Chinese temple named after Emperor Ashoka and keeper of sacred Buddhist relics — and economic ties rooted in Ningbo’s port, active Indian traders and growing investment opportunities. He also hosted Ding Qijie, Deputy Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of Shaoxing Municipal People’s Government, highlighting the approximately 1,500-strong Indian diaspora’s contribution to the local textile trade and cultural exchange while exploring enhanced consular services and community welfare measures.
Sectoral engagements targeted strategic priorities. On agriculture and food security, Mathur met office-bearers of the Agrochemical Federation of India attending CAC 2026, underlining India’s focus on sustainable development and resilient supply chains; more than 500 Indian exhibitors reinforced the country’s role in agrarian advancement. Civil aviation talks with the Air India Asia-Pacific team, led by Dilip Baruah, reviewed Shanghai’s emergence as a vital connectivity hub between India and eastern China. In technology and innovation, Mathur met Carrie Suen of Ant Group to discuss fintech, opportunities in the digital economy and sustainable solutions, noting China’s planned participation in India’s upcoming AI Impact Summit as a sign of deepening collaboration. The textile sector continued to benefit from a strong Indian business presence in Shaoxing, and India’s participation in CIIE 2026 was highlighted as a platform to showcase the country’s growth and competitiveness.
Cultural diplomacy remained prominent: Mathur felicitated young achiever Yashvi Kabra for promoting Indian cinema to Chinese audiences through platforms like Xiaohongshu and engaged the Shanghai Marathi Mandal to help organise community celebrations for Gudi Padwa.
Think-tank and academic outreach included exchanges with Benjamin Reichenbach of Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and Mattia Marino of European House – Ambrosetti on the India-EU FTA and India’s rising appeal as a preferred partner. Meetings with Prof. Huang Jing of Shanghai International Studies University addressed international relations and regional stability, while discussions with Dr. Cao Wenming of the Shanghai Food Industry Research Institute focused on food standards and safety. The Consulate also hosted a gathering of Consul Generals from Cuba, Serbia and Honduras to foster Global South solidarity.
Throughout these engagements, Consul General Pratik Mathur emphasised how city-level partnerships, sectoral cooperation and cultural initiatives advance India’s 3Ts: strengthening trade through port synergies, exhibitions and business networks; accelerating technology collaboration via fintech, AI and scientific exchanges; and expanding tourism through improved air connectivity, heritage linkages and enhanced people-to-people contact.
CGI Shanghai’s activities have showcased India’s heritage, innovation and global outlook while promoting deeper mutual understanding and mutually beneficial partnerships across eastern China. (ANI)
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