Reuben Gauci (diplomat)
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Reuben Gauci | |
|---|---|
| High Commissioner of Malta to India | |
| Assumed office September 2020 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 20 May 1976 Pietà, Malta |
| Nationality | Maltese |
| Alma mater | University of Malta |
Reuben Gauci (born 20 May 1976) is a Maltese diplomat who has served as the High Commissioner of the Republic of Malta to India since September 2020.[1] Based in New Delhi, he simultaneously holds accreditation as High Commissioner of Malta to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, and as Ambassador to Nepal.[2]
Education
Gauci completed a Master of Arts in Human Rights and Democratisation at the University of Malta in 2003–2004. He subsequently earned a second Master of Arts in European Studies, also from the University of Malta, in 2008.[3]
Diplomatic career
Gauci joined the Maltese foreign service following a diplomatic examination in 2007. His early overseas postings included Chargé d'Affaires at the Embassy of Malta in Lisbon, Portugal (February–June 2011); Career Consul General in Istanbul, Turkey (July 2011–September 2015); and Head of the Representative Office of the Republic of Malta in Ramallah, Palestine (October 2015–September 2020).[4]
In April 2022, Gauci presented his credentials as Malta's High Commissioner to Bangladesh to President Abdul Hamid at the Presidential Palace in Dhaka. During the visit he also met the Foreign Minister, the Speaker of Parliament, and the European Union Ambassador to Bangladesh.[5]
Tenure in India
Gauci arrived in India in September 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the following years he focused on expanding economic, educational, and cultural ties between Malta and India. He has noted that nearly 18,000 Indian workers and students reside in Malta, a significant figure for a country with a population of approximately 500,000.[6]
60th anniversary of India–Malta diplomatic relations
In 2025, marking the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Malta — formally established on 10 March 1965 — Gauci undertook a series of public engagements across India. He delivered a lecture on India–Malta bilateral ties at an institution in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, covering the shared history of both countries under British rule and contemporary areas of cooperation including trade, education, and cinema.[7] A second lecture was delivered in Jaipur, Rajasthan, as part of the same anniversary programme.[8]
On the same occasion, Gauci spoke with ANI, affirming Malta's interest in deepening trade ties with India and the significance of the 60-year bilateral relationship.[9]
EU–India Free Trade Agreement
Gauci was a consistent public advocate for the EU–India Free Trade Agreement during its negotiation period. On 24 January 2026, ahead of the visit of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa to India for the Republic Day celebrations and the EU–India Summit, he gave an exclusive interview to IANS describing the potential agreement as "historical" and the "mother of all deals." He noted that Malta, as one of the EU's smallest member states, imported ten times more from India than it exported, and expressed hope that the agreement would help address this imbalance.[10]
Following the conclusion of the EU–India FTA in January 2026, Gauci told ANI that "the mother of deals has now been born," and highlighted Malta's strategic position in the Mediterranean as a potential hub for trade and sea-route connectivity between Europe and India.[11]
Regional activities
In December 2025, Gauci inaugurated the Malta Visa Application Centre in Colombo, Sri Lanka, operated by VFS Global. The centre allows Sri Lankan citizens to submit Schengen visa applications locally.[12]
Also in December 2025, Gauci co-hosted the official opening of the SiGMA South Asia gaming and technology summit in Colombo, alongside SiGMA founder Eman Pulis and Sri Lankan Minister for Industries and Entrepreneurship Development Sunil Handunneththi, representing Malta's established role as a global hub for online gaming regulation.[13]
References
- ↑ "Delhi is a force of humanity, have to see it to believe it: Malta High Commissioner on living in Capital". The Indian Express. 2 September 2025. Retrieved 2025-12-12.
- ↑ "Malta Visa Centre opens in Colombo". Ceylon Today. 26 December 2025. Retrieved 2026-03-05.
- ↑ "Institute for European Studies Newsletter, Issue 5" (PDF). University of Malta. Retrieved 2025-12-12.
- ↑ "High Commissioner – Reuben Gauci". Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of Malta. Retrieved 2025-12-12.
- ↑ "The 50th Anniversary of Malta's Republic Day celebrated in New Delhi, India". Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of Malta. Retrieved 2025-12-12.
- ↑ Murtaza Ali Khan (23 November 2025). "Malta and India deepen cultural and economic partnerships". The Sunday Guardian. Retrieved 2025-12-12.
- ↑ "Malta High Commissioner delivers lecture on ties with India". The Hindu. 18 September 2025. Retrieved 2026-03-05.
- ↑ "Lectures on the 60th anniversary of Malta–India diplomatic relations in Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) and Jaipur (Rajasthan)". Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of Malta. Retrieved 2025-12-12.
- ↑ "Malta keen on India–EU FTA negotiations, looking to expand trade: Ambassador Reuben Gauci". The Tribune. 17 September 2025. Retrieved 2025-12-12.
- ↑ "New Delhi 'top priority' for Europe, EU-India FTA 'mother of all deals': Malta envoy". IANS. 24 January 2026. Retrieved 2026-03-05.
- ↑ "Mother of all deals has now been born: Malta High Commissioner on India-EU FTA". The Tribune. 28 January 2026. Retrieved 2026-03-05.
- ↑ "Malta Visa Centre opens in Colombo". Ceylon Today. 26 December 2025. Retrieved 2026-03-05.
- ↑ "SiGMA South Asia 2025 marks a major milestone in the region welcoming 2,500 delegates". Italian Gaming Expo. 3 December 2025. Retrieved 2026-03-05.
External links
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