Key Points

Sherpa, a seasoned Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer from the 2002 batch, is currently serving as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs.

"Tshering Wangchuk Sherpa (IFS:2002), presently Joint Secretary in the Ministry, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam," the MEA statement read.

He is expected to take up the assignment shortly, the Ministry added.

India and Vietnam share traditionally close and warm bilateral relations that are denominated as a comprehensive strategic partnership.

India was the Co-Chairman of the International Commission for Supervision and Control formed pursuant to the Geneva Accord of 1954.

India initially maintained Consulate-level relations with the then North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Viet Nam) and South Viet Nam, and later established full diplomatic relations with Vietnam on 7 January 1972.

India-Vietnam relations were elevated in 2016 to the level of 'Comprehensive Strategic Partnership' during the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Vietnam; earlier, the relations were designated as 'Strategic Partnership'.

The development of India-Vietnam relations is currently guided by a "Joint Vision for Peace, Prosperity and People" adopted by Prime Minister Modi and the then Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc of Vietnam during the Virtual Summit held on 21 December 2020.

Prime Minister Modi and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong had a telephonic conversation on 15 April 2022.

In 2022, the two countries celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, and both are actively working together to further strengthen their multidimensional cooperation.

Earlier this week, Rohit Rathish, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, was appointed as the High Commissioner of India to Seychelles.

- ANI