Nepal, Oct. 16 -- India has appointed Sudhakar Dalela, secretary in its Ministry of External Affairs, as its next ambassador to Nepal.

India's Ministry of External Affairs announced the appointment on Friday, saying Dalela would take up the assignment shortly. Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs had earlier received his name for agrement, the host country's formal approval of an ambassadorial appointment.

The post had remained vacant since outgoing Ambassador Naveen Srivastava completed his tenure and returned to New Delhi two weeks ago.

Dalela's appointment marks the selection of a secretary-rank diplomat to head India's mission in Kathmandu, where New Delhi has traditionally appointed diplomats at the additional secretary level.

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