New Delhi, June 2 -- Veteran diplomat Vipul has been appointed as India's next ambassador to Saudi Arabia, an assignment widely regarded as a critical deployment in light of the Gulf country's expanding regional influence and the highly volatile geopolitical crisis in West Asia.

The 1998-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer is currently serving as New Delhi's envoy to Qatar, bringing extensive regional experience to his upcoming assignment.

Announcing the diplomatic transition, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated, "He is expected to take up the assignment shortly."

This vital appointment aligns with his distinguished diplomatic tenure, during which the incoming envoy has been posted to various Indian diplomatic missions...