India, March 20 -- Seasoned diplomat Vikram Doraiswami was on Thursday appointed as India's new ambassador to China, a move that comes amid efforts by the two sides to rebuild ties that came under severe strain following the over four-year military standoff in eastern Ladakh.

Doraiswami, a 1992-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, is currently serving as Indian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. He will succeed Pradeep Kumar Rawat. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Doraiswami is expected to take up the new assignment shortly.

In the last few months, India and China have stepped up efforts to stabilise their relations, seeking a reset after the 2020 military standoff in the Galwan Valley plunged ties to the lowest ...