New Indian envoy arrives in Kathmandu

By Anil Giri

Kathmandu, March 25 (IANS) India's new Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri arrived here on Saturday to begin his tenure in the key posting, that will see him help foster close ties between the two neighbours.

Puri, who was so far Indian envoy to Belgium and is India's 24th Ambassador to Nepal, succeeds Ranjit Rae who had completed his three-and-a-half year term on February 28.

Puri is to submit his credentials to President Bidhya Devi Bhandari on Sunday.

The Indian envoy has a key job due to the close relationship between the two countries and New Delhi mostly dispatches one of its senior-most diplomats to the post.

India is not only a close neighbour of Nepal but due to the open border, its political, social, economic, security and other concerns remain high in Kathmandu. Also a stakeholder in Nepal's ongoing peace process, India's role is always crucial given the uncertain political situation prevailing now in Nepal as the country braces to hold three elections this year in the midst of standoff with the Madhes-based parties.

Puri, an Indian Foreign Service officer of the 1982 batch, has served as Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations in New York from 2009 to 2013. He was a senior member of India's Security Council team during the years 2011-2012, when India served on the Security Council.

He was actively involved with issues of sustainable development and environment. A lead negotiator in India's delegation for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development held in Rio de Janeiro in June 2012, he was also a key member of India's delegation at various Climate Change negotiations, including the Major Economies Forum and the Conference of Parties of the UNFCCC in Copenhagen in December 2009.