India has appointed diplomat Vipul, a 1998-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, as its next ambassador to Saudi Arabia, marking the first time a non-Muslim envoy will represent New Delhi in Riyadh. The Ministry of External Affairs formally announced the appointment on Tuesday, replacing outgoing ambassador Suhel Ajaz Khan, also from the 1998 batch. Vipul currently serves as India’s ambassador to Qatar.
Since independence in 1948, India had consistently appointed Muslim diplomats as ambassadors to Saudi Arabia and consuls general in Jeddah, largely due to their role in facilitating the annual Hajj pilgrimage for thousands of Indian pilgrims. However, the pool of experienced Muslim diplomats has reportedly declined in recent decades, making it difficult to find suitable successors. In some cases, ambassadors had to extend their tenures or be selected from outside the regular diplomatic cadre.
Vipul assumes his new post at a time of shifting regional dynamics, with Saudi Arabia navigating tensions with Iran and competing with the United Arab Emirates for economic and diplomatic influence. Despite these changes, Riyadh remains a key partner for India in energy, trade, investment, and the welfare of its expatriate community.
স্টাফ রিপোর্টার প্রকাশ : ০৩ জুন ২০২৬, ২২: ২১আপডেট : ০৩ জুন ২০২৬, ২২: ৩২ কূটনৈতিক ক্ষেত্রে এক যুগান্তকারী পরিবর্তনের সাক্ষী হতে চলেছে নয়াদিল্লি। ১৯৪৮ সালে স্বাধীনতার পর থেকে চলে আসা এক দীর্ঘস্থায়ী প্রথার অবসান ঘটিয়ে সৌদি আরবে ভারতের পরবর্তী রাষ্ট্রদূ
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