In the British Empire a Political Resident or Political Agent was an official diplomatic position involving both consular duties and liaison function.
A Consul or Consul-General has largely consular functions, such as looking after British business persons abroad. A Political Resident or Political Agent, on the other hand, not only has consular duties but also has political contacts with chiefs, nizams, nawabs, rajas, sultans, sheikhs and the like. With the end of the British Empire this distinction was no longer made because the Political Resident or Political Agent no longer exists.