India on Friday appointed senior diplomat Sudhakar Dalela as its next ambassador to Nepal, bringing an experienced South Asia specialist to the post as Kathmandu and New Delhi seek to expand cooperation in trade, connectivity, energy and regional affairs.

Dalela, an Indian Foreign Service officer of the 1993 batch who currently serves as a secretary at India’s Ministry of External Affairs, is expected to take up his new assignment shortly, according to a statement issued by the Indian government on Friday.

He will succeed Naveen Srivastava, who took charge as India’s ambassador to Nepal on June 25, 2022. Srivastava has served in Kathmandu for more than four years, overseeing a period of engagement in connectivity, cross-border energy cooperation and economic partnership. Both Dalela and Srivastava belong to the same batch of the Indian Foreign Service.

Dalela’s appointment brings experience in Nepal-Bhutan affairs, work in the Indian prime minister’s office and international trade negotiations. His diplomatic career has also included assignments in Bhutan, Bangladesh, the United States, Israel and other countries.

His previous involvement in Nepal-related affairs at the Indian foreign ministry is expected to be relevant to his new role, as the two countries work to strengthen economic ties and address longstanding bilateral issues. Their relationship spans trade, transit, energy cooperation, cross-border connectivity and regional security, alongside complex political and diplomatic concerns.

Nepal and India share an open border and extensive social, cultural and economic ties. India remains a major trading partner and an important source of transit, investment and energy cooperation for Nepal. The two governments have pursued projects to improve cross-border electricity trade, road and rail connectivity, and other economic links.

Dalela’s familiarity with Nepal and the wider region is likely to be an asset as he takes up the assignment in a relationship shaped by close interdependence as well as periodic differences over political and territorial issues.