New Delhi: Key postings of Indian envoys to Pakistan, China, the UK and the UN have been decided by the government in a major reshuffle at the top echelons of the ministry of external affairs (MEA).
While Navtej Sarna, presently secretary (west) in the ministry, will be next High Commissioner to London replacing Mr Ranjan Mathai, Mr Gautam Bambawale, India’s ambassador to Bhutan, will take over as high commissioner to Pakistan from Mr T.C.A. Raghavan, who is retiring on December 31.
India’s ambassador to Germany Vijay Gokhale will take over from Mr Ashok Kantha in Beijing. Other postings include that of Mr Anil Wadhwa, secretary (east), as the Ambassador in Rome.
Sources were cited by news agency reports as saying that most of these positions will be taken up by late December or early January. At the ministry headquarters, Mr Amar Sinha and Mr Amarendra Khatua will be the new secretaries (east) and (west) respectively. While Mr Sinha is currently India’s ambassador to Afghanistan, Mr Khatua is India’s envoy to Argentina.
Mr Harsh V. Shringla, former joint secretary incharge of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Myanmar and currently Indian envoy in Bangkok, will be heading to a crucial posting in Bangladesh.
Indian ambassador to Mexico Sujan Chinoy will be going as Ambassador to Japan to replace Ms Deepa Wadhwa. However, Ms Wadhwa is expected to continue till the visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to India likely to be in early December.
