21.12.21

Pradeep Rawat is India’s next envoy to China

Pradeep Rawat, India’s envoy to the Netherlands, will take over as the ambassador to China at a time when bilateral relations between the two countries have hit rock bottom. He will replace Vikram Misri, who is scheduled to take over as deputy NSA very soon.

Rawat served in the ministry of external affairs headquarters as joint secretary in charge of east Asia, which includes China, before assuming charge as ambassador to Indonesia.

He will now take the new charge at a very tough time — Chinese troops remain aggressively positioned in eastern Ladakh and other points on the Line of Actual Control, there is very little bilateral interaction, and India is attempting to decouple from Chinese-controlled supply chains.

Politically too, there has been almost no interaction between the two nations, and that could prove a problem going forward. In addition, China’s activities on its periphery and vis-à-vis India are both expansionist and aggressive.

Vikram Misri will be adding much-needed China expertise to the National Security Council, where he will be on deputation.

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