MEA RESHUFFLE: VARMA TO BE INDIA’S ENVOY TO RUSSIA

NEW DELHI: Major changes in the external affairs ministry, including top ambassadorial postings, are on the cards, people familiar with the developments said. D Bala Venkatesh Varma, a 1988 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, is set to become India’s envoy to Russia.

He will replace Pankaj Saran, who has been appointed as a deputy national security adviser. Ruchi Ghanashyam, secretary (west) at the headquarters and a 1982 batch officer, is likely to be next Indian high commissioner to the UK in place of Y K Sinha.

Varma is a Russian speaker and has served the Indian embassy in Moscow as third secretary, second secretary as well as counselor (political).

An expert on disarmament issues, Varma was the first recipient in 2010 of the SK Singh Award for Excellence in the IFS for the role he played in civil nuclear deals India has signed with other countries.

Sanjay Verma, a 1990 batch officer, is set to become India’s next envoy to Spain in place of Bala Venkatesh Varma.

The people familiar with the developments said Indian envoy in Beijing, Gautam Bambawale, who is retiring soon, could get an extension.

The 1984 batch officer is a Mandarin speaker with long experience in dealing with China at a time when the reset in the ties is working as per the script.

These factors could work in Bambawale’s favour.

He served in Hong Kong and Beijing between 1985 and 1991. Bambawale then served as deputy chief of mission, besides heading East Asia desk in the ministry.

He also served as envoy to Bhutan. India’s ambassador and permanent representative to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva Amandeep Gill, a 1992 batch IFS officer, is taking a break.

Gill is joining a United Nations task force on digital cooperation as an executive director. The task force has been set up for a “safe and inclusive digital future of the world”.