Srinivas Gotru Appointed as India's New Ambassador to ASEAN

Srinivas Gotru, a seasoned officer of the Indian Foreign Service, assumes the role of India's Ambassador to ASEAN. This appointment signifies India's ongoing commitment to strengthening its strategic partnership and diplomatic relations with ASEAN, which have grown significantly since the early '90s.

In a pivotal move announced by the Ministry of External Affairs, Srinivas Gotru, a senior Indian Foreign Service officer, has been named the next Ambassador of India to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). A seasoned diplomat from the 1997 IFS batch, Gotru currently serves as Joint Secretary in the MEA.

Expected to assume his new role shortly, Gotru's appointment comes at a time when ASEAN-India relations are witnessing substantial growth. Having evolved from a sectoral dialogue partnership in 1992 to a full dialogue partnership in 1995, the relationship was further elevated with the inception of the ASEAN-India Summit in 2002. This decade-long progression underscores the strategic importance of this partnership to both ASEAN and India.

Since marking the 20th anniversary of ASEAN-India dialogue relations in 2012, both entities have elevated their ties to a Strategic Partnership. Efforts are underway to bolster collaboration across ASEAN's three Community pillars. India, as a Dialogue Partner, remains actively engaged in multiple diplomatic and defense-related dialogues, including the ASEAN Regional Forum and the East Asia Summit, demonstrating a deepened political and security alignment.

(With inputs from agencies.)