India names new envoy to Pakistan
Bambawale has served in Germany, China and the United States
Gautam Bambawale. PHOTO: FILE
Gautam Bambawale, a senior Indian diplomat who is currently serving as the country’s envoy to Bhutan, has been appointed as high commissioner to Pakistan, the External Affairs Ministry announced on Wednesday.
An Indian Foreign Service officer of the 1984-batch, Bambawale will replace TCA Raghavan, who is retiring at the end of this month, according to the Indian media.
Long-term strategy for Pakistan-India relations
“He [Bambawale] is expected to take up his new assignment shortly,” the Indian ministry said.
Significantly, Bambawale will take up his posting within days of the two countries deciding to re-engage under the ‘Bilateral Comprehensive Dialogue’.
The foreign secretaries of the two countries are scheduled to meet next month to discuss modalities for the talks.
Pak-India ties: Indian envoy advocates geo-economic approach
Bambawale has served in Germany, China and the United States. In 2007, he became the first consul general of India in Guangzhou, China.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 24th, 2015.