Indian envoy in SL to be new Indian Ambassador to US

The Indian Government is likely to send Taranjit Singh Sandhu, current High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, as the next ambassador to the US, Times of India reported.

It said Sandhu is likely to take over from Harsh Vardhan Shringla who has just returned to New Delhi to take over as foreign secretary from Vijay Gokhale who is retiring at the end of January.

Sandhu has served as deputy chief of mission in Washington DC between 2013 and 2017. He had served in the Indian mission in DC between 1997-2000 and is generally believed to be a familiar face in Washington DC circles.

Sandhu’s likely appointment is significant in light of the possibility that US president Donald Trump is likely to be visiting India on a standalone visit towards the end of February.

The visit is still labelled as tentative because it has to take into account the impeachment calendar of Trump — Trump’s impeachment trial has moved to the US Senate, after being passed in the House of Representatives.

Gopal Baglay, currently in the PMO is slated to take over from Sandhu as envoy to Colombo.