Guwahati (Assam) [India], February 25 (ANI): Heads of Mission, along with their spouses and diplomats from 60 nations, who visited Assam with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to be part of the trip.

Several ambassadors, while speaking to ANI, shared their appreciation for Jaishankar and mentioned how the visit helped them gain a better understanding of India's diverse landscape.

Francesco Fernandes, Charge d'Affaires of the Embassy of Timor-Leste, called the trip a privilege and said that Assam has a great potential for ecotourism.

'I think it's a really, really great experience and it is my privilege and thanks to His Excellency Honourable Minister S Jaishankar, for the invitation. I would like to express my gratitude again to all of you and to visit the Northeast, particularly Assam. You have a very potential ecotourism with all the wild animals and I think need to converse and then also maintain the sustainability. So I think really, really learned a lot during this trip,' he said.

The Acting High Commissioner of Ghana to India expressed that the travel experience had taught him valuable lessons, which he plans to implement in his work.

'Indeed this has been a very wonderful experience for me. This is my first time being in this part of India, the state of Assam. And indeed has been very revealing. I've seen the side of India that I've never seen throughout my stay in Delhi. I've been in India for the past 2 years. Being here on this trip has taught me a lot about India's diversity, India's rich culture, and indeed your religion. And may I thank the Minister of External Affairs for putting together such a programme for us. It has really taught us a lot, and we are going back to Delhi with something that will help us in our work and the way we promote in the action. I guess the guests from respective countries,' he said.

Christian Kamill, Charge d'Affaires at the Embassy of Sweden in India, mentioned that the experience would stay with him and that the trip also helped strengthen bonds among the diplomatic corps.

'I'm so happy to have joined this immersion trip to Assam, and this morning's experience, of course, I will carry with me all my remaining life. We are based in New Delhi, but this is such a wonderful opportunity to see other parts of India. It's my 2nd visit to Assam, but I have never been to the national park. I'm now looking forward to paying my second visit to Guwahati on a very special occasion, and I wish to thank the Minister for External Affairs and the authorities of Assam for making this possible. It is also a great initiative to let the diplomatic corps also get closer to each other and also the hospitality bestowed upon us is really immense and well,' he told ANI.

The High Commissioner of Guyana, South America Dharamkumar Seeraj, expressed being inspired by the trip and praised India's leadership in promoting sustainable and environmentally friendly energy development.

'I've been very encouraged by this trip here, taking into consideration that my country and my government are pushing a sustainable, environmentally friendly renewable energy economy for the path of development. What I've seen on this trip has been very encouraging and has made me think a lot about what the world needs to do. And I'm certain that with India providing the kind of leadership that it is currently doing, it all goes well for the overall development of the world itself. I'm encouraged and I'm certain that the other heads of missions who have accompanied us here today and yesterday on this trip will also benefit tremendously,' he said.

He added that he was touched by the way animals are treated here, in a humane way.

'I'm particularly inspired by the way the park is being managed and how humanely animals are being treated, especially the elephants that we saw, and I'm happy that the government has placed such emphasis on maintenance to ensure that these species, some of which are endangered, can enjoy some comfort and knowing fully well that their life is insured,' he said.

A head of mission told ANI that their visit to the national park was 'mystical.'

'So this morning we went to the national park and it was quite mystical, to say the least, because of the weather, but we were really lucky. We got to see a lot of the animals that we wanted to see. It was magnificent. I would recommend this to anyone to come here and enjoy your hospitality. It was fabulous,' he said,' he said.

The heads of mission visited the Sarnath archaeological site and Kaziranga National Park. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar accompanied them during the visit.

https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1893903118661779712

In a post on X, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, 'Envoys experience incredible cultural and ecological diversity. Heads of Mission, spouses of HoMs, and diplomats of 60 countries visited the iconic Sarnath archaeological site and the mesmerising @kaziranga_ National Park. They were accompanied by EAM @DrSJaishankar.' (ANI)