Ajay Bisaria is India's New High Commissioner to Pakistan, Gautam Bambawale Heads to Beijing
Last Updated:
Gautam Bambawale, a 1984 batch officer who is fluent in Mandarin, was earlier the Joint Secretary in-charge of East Asia the desk.
New Delhi: India’s ambassador to Pakistan Gautam Bambawale will now head the Indian mission in China, while envoy to Poland Ajay Bisaria will replace him in Islamabad.
The re-jig was effected in the wake of Vijay Gokhale, the then ambassador to China, being appointed as the Secretary of Economic Relations in the External Affairs Ministry.
Gautam Bambawale, a 1984 batch officer who is fluent in Mandarin, was earlier the Joint Secretary in-charge of East Asia the desk.
He is said to have developed a close working relationship with Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar who is set to retire next year. Their association dates back to when the latter was India’s ambassador in Beijing and Bambawale was the joint secretary in the East Asia desk. Many crises, including the kidnapping of Indian traders in Yiwu, China and the Dersingham standoff in 2013, are said to have been resolved with keen coordination between the two men.
With his move to Beijing, Bambawale joins a short list of envoys who have served both in China and Pakistan. This puts him in a unique position where two or three years from now he gets to be in contention to be the Foreign Secretary.
The only other foreign services officer in recent times who has served in China and Pakistan — India’s toughest diplomatic assignments — is Shiv Shankar Menon who went on to become Foreign Secretary and later the National Security Advisor.
For now, in contention for the Foreign Secretary’s post is Vijay Gokhale. If the government does not give Jaishankar another extension, Gokhale will most likely succeed him as the new Foreign Secretary after January.
Edited By: Sanchari Chatterjee
Location:
India’s T20 World Cup Squad Update: Who Are the Finishers? Shivam Dube, Riyan Parag Face Heat from Dinesh Karthik, Ashutosh Sharma
Lok Sabha Election 2024: Voting Kicks Off, Long Queues Outside Polling Booths
IPL 2024: Mumbai Indians Edge Out Punjab Kings by 9 Runs in Mullanpur Thriller | IN PICTURES
India's T20 World Cup Squad Update: Rohit, Kohli, Bumrah, Pant, SKY Sure Shot Selections; Suspense Over Samson, Gill, Jaiswal & Others
IPL 2024: Delhi Capitals Humble Gujarat Titans at Ahmedabad by 6 Wickets | IN PICTURES
More Latest News
LSG vs CSK Live Score, IPL 2024: Chennai Super Kings Eye Consistency as They Run Into Lucknow Super Giants
Israel-Iran Crisis LIVE: World Leaders Call For De-Escalation In Middle East After Drone Attack Near Iranian Air Base, Nuclear Site
JAC 10th Result 2024 Live Updates: Jharkhand Board Matric Scorecard, Topper List Released, 90.39% Students Pass
2024 Lok Sabha Election LIVE: Mamata Says '1 Vote To Cong Against TMC Means 2 Votes To BJP'; 57.09% Voter Turnout In J&K Till 3 pm
Tamil Nadu Election 2024 LIVE: 51.41% Voter Turnout So Far; Shah Says BJP Expecting Its 'Best Show in South'