US appoints diplomat Atul Keshap new charge d'affaires in India

The United States on Tuesday appointed Ambassador Atul Keshap as its new US Charge d'Affaires in Delhi.

Ambassador Keshap, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, will be departing for New Delhi to serve as Charge d'Affaires, ad interim, following the retirement of Ambassador Daniel Smith, the US Department of State said in a statement.

The Indian-American career diplomat has served in the US embassy in Delhi earlier.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a tweet that Ambassador Keshap's wealth of experience will help advance shared priorities between the two countries.

"Pleased to announce that Ambassador Atul Keshap will soon arrive at US Embassy in New Delhi as Charge d'Affaires. Ambassador Keshap's wealth of experience will help advance our shared priorities as we work with India to overcome global challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic," Blinken said.

The US Department of State statement said Ambassador Keshap will bring a wealth of experience to the role, having served previously at US Embassy New Delhi and as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia.

It said most recently he served as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs and as the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

"Ambassador Keshap's appointment will reinforce the close US partnership with the Government and people of India, demonstrated by our collaboration to overcome global challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic," the statement said.

( With inputs from ANI )