Vijay Keshav Gokhale appointed envoy to China

Senior diplomat Vijay Keshav Gokhale, currently the country's Ambassador to Germany, has been appointed as the Ambassador to China to replace Ashok Kantha, whose term will end in early January.

A 1981 batch IFS officer, Gokhale is expected to take up the assignment shortly, External Affairs Ministry announced on Wednesday.

He would replace Kantha, who was appointed as envoy to China in January 2014 for a two-year term.

Before taking up position in Germany as India's top envoy, he has served in Indian missions in Hong Kong, Hanoi, Beijing and New York.

In the MEA headquarters in Delhi, Gokhale has also held the posts of director (China and East Asia) and then joint secretary (East Asia) and is known to be one of the most knowledgeable officials who is well versed with China affairs.

Senior diplomat Harsh Vardhan Shringla, who is currently serving as Ambassador to Thailand, has been appointed India's next High Commissioner to Bangladesh.

Shringla, a 1984 batch IFS officer, will succeed Pankaj Saran.

In the course of his diplomatic career spanning 30 years, Shringla has held a variety of positions in the MEA here and in Indian Missions in Paris, Hanoi and Tel Aviv.

He has also served in the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations in New York and as Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Prior to taking up his post in Thailand, Shringla had served in the MEA as Joint Secretary (Director General) responsible for Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Maldives.

"He is expected to take up his assignment shortly," the MEA said.