The Apostolic Nunciature of India

India's Apostolic Nunciature/Vatican City to India (Apostolic Nuncio) – equivalent to an embassy – is the Vatican City's diplomatic mission in India. It is located at 50-C, Policy Lane, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi. On March 13, 2021, Pope Francis appointed Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli as Apostolic Nuncio. He was previously Ambassador to Israel and Cyprus.

This nunciature is the office of the Catholic Church in India, with the post of the Nuncio. The Nuncio acts as a representative and point of contact between the Pope (as head of the Vatican City state) and the Indian President, as well as between the Catholic hierarchy in India and the Pope (as head of the Church).

History
The diplomatic mission was established in 1881 as an Apostolic Delegate for East Indies, including Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), and was extended to Malacca in 1889 and Burma (now Myanmar) in 1920. It was eventually expanded to include Goa in 1923. On June 12, 1948, Pope Pius XII established a full Apostolic Nunciature, and on August 22, 1967, Pope Paul VI did the same. In 1967, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) was separated from it, and in 1973, Burma (now Myanmar) was also separated.

List of Papal Representatives

Apostolic Delegates
Antonio Agliardi (September 23, 1884 - May 9, 1887)
Andrea Ayet (March 31, 1887 - July 24, 1891)
Władysław Michal Zaleski (March 15, 1892 - December 7, 1916)
Pietro Fumasoni Biondi (November 15, 1916 - December 6, 1919)
Pietro Pisani (December 15, 1919 - 1924)
Edward Aloysius Mounier (January 18, 1926 - March 30, 1931)
Leo Peter Kierkels, CP (March 23, 1931 - June 12, 1948)

Apostolic Pro-Nuncios
Leo Peter Kierkels, CP (June 12, 1948 - June 29, 1952)
Martin Lucas, SV (December 3, 1952 - January 1, 1957)
James Robert Knox (February 14, 1957 - April 13, 1967)

Apostolic Pro-Prefects
Giuseppe Caprio (August 22, 1967 - April 19, 1969)
Mary-Joseph Lémieux, OP (May 30, 1969 - February 16, 1971)
John Gordon (August 11, 1971 - June 11, 1976)
Luciano Storero (July 14, 1976 - February 2, 1981)
Agostino Casaroli (May 9, 1981 - June 13, 1990)
Giorgio Zur (August 13, 1990 – December 7, 1998)

Apostolic Nuncios
Lorenzo Baldacchini (June 19, 1999 – November 12, 2002)
Pedro López Quintana (February 8, 2003 – December 10, 2009)
Salvatore Pennacchio (May 8, 2010 – August 6, 2016)
Giacomo Guido Ottonello (January 21, 2017 – August 29, 2020)
Leopoldo Girelli (March 13, 2021 – present)