Sandeep Chakravorty concurrently accredited as India's next ambassador to Timor-Leste

Chakravorty will have his residence in Indonesia's Jakarta and is expected to take up the assignment shortly. Notably, he joined India's diplomatic service in 1996.

Ministry of External Affairs in a statement said, "Shri Sandeep Chakravorty (IFS:1996), presently Ambassador of India to the Republic of Indonesia has been concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador of India to the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, with residence in Jakarta."

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

Previously, he served as Joint Secretary (Europe West) at the Ministry of External Affairs, responsible for bilateral relations in Europe and the European Union. He has been Consul General of India in New York City and India's Ambassador to Peru and Bolivia, according to the Indian Embassy in Indonesia.

Sandeep Chakravorty has also served as India's Deputy Chief of Mission in Bangladesh. He has also worked in India's diplomatic missions in Spain and Colombia, according to the Indian Embassy in Indonesia.

Earlier in September, Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs, Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, paid an official visit to Timor-Leste, the first ministerial-level visit from India to Timor-Leste since 2018, Ministry of External Affairs informed.

During the visit, he called on Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao, to discuss ways to further strengthen bilateral ties and cooperation in the fields of health, agriculture, trade, hydrocarbons, education pharmaceuticals and capacity building, the MEA said in a release.

He also held talks with Foreign Minister Bendito Dos Santos Freitas, and Minister of Trade and Industry, Filipus Nino Pereira, with the discussions centred on adding momentum to bilateral cooperation, development partnership and capacity building, it said. Notably, India was one of the early countries to establish diplomatic ties with Timor-Leste. (ANI)