Everest, Kathmandu, October 8- India has proposed Sudhakar Dalela as its new ambassador to Nepal. A senior and experienced Indian Foreign Service diplomat, Dalela has been proposed for appointment as India’s ambassador to Nepal, according to Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs sources.

India has reportedly sent a ‘note verbale’ to Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding his appointment. Once Nepal communicates that the appointment has received approval through the relevant process, India will send an agrément request for his formal appointment as ambassador. Dalela is currently serving as Secretary for Economic Relations at India’s Ministry of External Affairs.

Dalela joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1993 and began his diplomatic career in Tel Aviv, Israel. He subsequently served in various capacities at Indian missions in Brasilia, Chicago, Dhaka, Geneva, Thimphu and Washington, D.C.

He served as India’s ambassador to Bhutan from 2022 to 2025. Earlier, from 2009 to 2011, he worked as a director at the Prime Minister’s Office in New Delhi, where he handled India’s relations with South Asian neighbours, East Asia, the Indo-Pacific region, the Gulf, the Middle East and African countries.

Dalela is considered an experienced diplomat in matters relating to Nepal and Bhutan. He served as Director of the Northern Division at India’s Ministry of External Affairs in 2006 and as Joint Secretary of the same division from 2016 to 2019. The division oversees India’s relations with Nepal and Bhutan.

He also has extensive experience in trade and economic policy. He previously served as Director of Trade Policy at India’s Department of Commerce. He has also served twice at India’s Permanent Mission to the World Trade Organization (WTO), including as India’s Deputy Permanent Representative from 2014 to 2016.

In addition, Dalela served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indian Embassy in Washington, D.C., from 2020 to 2022. He assumed the position of Secretary for Economic Relations at India’s Ministry of External Affairs on September 1, 2025. In this role, he has been responsible for India’s economic diplomacy, development partnerships with Global South countries, partnership with Africa, multilateral economic relations, and issues related to new and emerging strategic technologies.

Dalela also serves as India’s representative for BRICS, IBSA, and the India-Israel-UAE-US grouping known as I2U2. Before joining the diplomatic service, he earned a bachelor’s degree in electronics engineering.

Dalela will become India’s 27th ambassador to Nepal.

His predecessor, Naveen Srivastava, has returned to India after completing his tenure. Appointed as India’s 26th ambassador to Nepal in June 2022, Srivastava completed his tenure and returned to India on October 1, 2026.