Indian Ambassador to Bangladesh Vikram Doraiswami is expected to take over as Indian envoy to the United Kingdom. The present Deputy Chief of Mission in US, Sudhakar Dalela, a 1993 batch IFS officer, is expected to replace Vikram in Dhaka, according to the reports of Indian media.
A 1992 batch Indian Foreign Service officer, Doraiswami is a Chinese speaker who has served as Indian ambassador to Uzbekistan, South Korea and served in the US as well as private secretary to the Prime Minister.
Vikram Doraiswami replaces Ambassador Gaitri Issar Kumar, who superannuated on June 30, 2022. A professional and hardworking diplomat, Doraiswami has been central to the close bilateral relationship with Dhaka with the officer pushing for cementing ties with Bangladesh through infrastructure and defence cooperation.
Doraiswami as Indian ambassador to South Korea was one of the key players to get KIA motors into India and joint development of K-9 155 mm self-propelled howitzer in India.
Doraiswami’s appointment as ambassador to the UK comes after the Modi government went through a several month-long deep selection process which included looking at the possibility of having a political appointee as envoy to London.
“In Vikram Doraiswami, India will have an ambassador who will push for closer relationships but will also take up friction points including those related to diaspora upfront,” Hindustan Times reported.
“His possible replacement, Dalela has vast experience as Director (Prime Minister’s Office) focusing on India’s engagement with its South Asian neighbors and he was Joint Secretary handling Bhutan and Nepal when the 2017 Doklam crisis broke with China.”
