Relations between Hong Kong and India date back to the 1840s when both countries were British colonies. Trade relations between Hong Kong and India were established shortly after the British gained control of Hong Kong in 1841. The Commission for India in Hong Kong was opened in 1951. The mission was renamed as the Consulate General of India on 15 October 1996, in preparation for the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to China on 1 July 1997. Since 1999, the consulate is also concurrently accredited to Macau.
Hong Kong and India signed an agreement on reciprocal enforcement of judgments in 1968. The Indian Government re notified the agreement in July 2012, to account for changes in the nomenclature of Hong Kong courts following the transfer of sovereignty. The two countries signed an Air Services Agreement in 1996, and a MoU on air services agreements in February 2012. Hong Kong and India signed a customs co-operation agreement and an agreement on surrender of fugitive Offenders in 1997, an agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters in September 2009, an agreement on transfer of sentenced persons on 20 January 2015.
There have been several high level visits between the two. Chief Executive of Hong Kong Donald Tsang led a business delegation to India in October 2010. CY Leung was the first Chief Executive to make an official visit to India. At the invitation of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Leung led a 40 member business delegation to India on 2–5 February 2016.
He held bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, and Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, and also addresses events organised by the Indian and Hong Kong chambers of commerce. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel and Telangana Chief Minister KCR Rao made visits to Hong Kong in 2016.
ICGS Sarang made a goodwill visit to Hong Kong in August 2015, and ICGS Samrat visited the country in October–November 2016. Indian Coast Guard officials held talks with officials from the Hong Kong Marine Police and Hong Kong Customs.
