India Appoints Harsh Vardhan Shringla as New Indian Ambassador to USA

New Delhi, Dec 20: Seasoned diplomat Harsh Vardhan Shringla was Thursday appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the US, considered a high-profile posting where he will face the task of engaging with the Trump administration on a number of key issues including the H1B visa. Shringla, a 1984-batch Indian Foreign Service official, will succeed Navtej Sarna.

"He is expected to take up the assignment shortly," the Ministry of External Affairs said. At present, Shringla is serving as Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh. Senior diplomat Riva Ganguly Das, presently Director General of Indian Council for Cultural Relations, has been appointed as new High Commissioner to Bangladesh.Talks With Taliban? MEA Issues Clarification, Reiterates India's Participation at 'Non-Official Level'.

Besides the H1B visa issue, Shringla will also have to engage with Washington on resolving issues relating to India's purchase of S 400 air defence missile systems from Russia. India risked the threat of US sanctions when it finalised the USD 5 billion deal with Russia in October.

Shringla will also have to engage with the Trump administration on several other issues including India's import of crude oil from Iran. The US has given India temporary waiver from the sanctions regime against import of Iranian oil. The waiver will come to an end on April 4. In the course of a diplomatic career spanning 34 years, Shringla has held a variety of positions in New Delhi and abroad.

Before his appointment as High Commissioner in Bangladesh nearly three years back, he served as India's Ambassador to Thailand. He has also served in Vietnam, Israel and South Africa. He has also served in the Ministry of External Affairs here as Joint Secretary responsible for Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Maldives. He has also headed the United Nations Political and SAARC Divisions in the Ministry.