WASHINGTON, DC— Harsh Vardhan Shringla presented his credentials to President Donald Trump as India’s new ambassador to the United States. He replaces Ambassador Navtej Sarna, who retired at the end of 2018.
At the White House ceremony, President Trump warmly welcomed Ambassador Shringla to Washington and wished him every success in his high responsibilities as India’s Ambassador to the United States.
The President fondly recalled his friendship with Prime Minister Modi and his recent telephone conversation with the Prime Minister. He highlighted the broad range of strategic interests and fundamental democratic values shared between our two countries.
Ambassador Shringla in his remarks conveyed warm greetings from the President and the Prime Minister of India to President Trump and the First Lady.
Ambassador Shringla also added that India was greatly encouraged by the President’s strong personal commitment to take the India-US strategic partnership forward. Ambassador Shringla assured President Trump of his commitment to expand key pillars of the bilateral relationship including economic relations and trade ties, defence and security, energy, science and technology and global issues, among others.
Ambassador Shringla previously served as Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh. A 1984 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, during the course of his diplomatic career spanning 34 years, Ambassador Shringla has held a variety of positions in New Delhi and abroad.
Before his assignment in Bangladesh, he served as Ambassador of India to Thailand. He has also served at Unesco in France, at the UN in New York, besides serving in various capacities in Vietnam, Israel and South Africa.
He has served in the Ministry headquarters in New Delhi as Joint Secretary (Director General) responsible for Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Maldives. He has also headed the UN Political and South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (Saarc) divisions in the Ministry.
Earlier, he served as Director of the Northern Division dealing with Nepal and Bhutan and as Deputy Secretary of the Europe West Division.
Ambassador Shringla, a graduate from St. Stephen’s College in New Delhi, worked in the corporate and public sectors in India prior to joining the Indian Foreign Service. He has pursued courses and published papers on conflict prevention, economic diplomacy and the Indian diaspora.
He speaks French, Vietnamese and Nepalese apart from English and Indian languages.
