Envoys of Mali, Myanmar, Madagascar, Equatorial Guinea Meet President

Four new ambassadors formally took up their posts in India on 6 November 2026. President Droupadi Murmu received their credentials at a ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. The envoys represent Mali, Myanmar, Madagascar and Equatorial Guinea.

The four ambassadors

What presenting credentials means

A new ambassador carries a letter of credence from his or her own head of state, addressed to the head of state of the host country. In India that is the President. Handing over this letter at Rashtrapati Bhavan is the step that formally recognises the envoy as the head of the diplomatic mission. Until then, the ambassador-designate can do only limited work. Such ceremonies are usually held for several envoys at once, which is why four countries were covered on the same day, each envoy stepping forward in turn.

The countries in brief

• Mali is a landlocked country in West Africa.
• Myanmar is India's neighbour to the east and shares a land border with the north-eastern states. Its official name is the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.
• Madagascar is an island nation in the Indian Ocean, off the south-east coast of Africa.
• Equatorial Guinea is a small country on the west coast of Central Africa.

Why it matters for exams

Credential ceremonies at Rashtrapati Bhavan come up regularly in current affairs. Questions usually ask which countries' envoys were received, who received them, where the ceremony was held, or the name of the ambassador of a neighbouring country such as Myanmar. Note also the formal names of the countries as used in the release, since a paper setter may use them in the options.