Suhel Ajaz Khan assumes charge as new Indian envoy to Saudi Arabia

RIYADH: India's ambassador to Saudi Arabia Suhel Ajaz Khan assumed his new office on Monday.

Taking charge the ambassador began his day at the Indian Embassy here by unfurling the national flag after presenting his credentials to the Saudi foreign affairs ministry where he was received by the Chief of Protocol at the ministry, according to the Indian Embassy.

He also paid floral tribute to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi. "Ambassador H.E. Dr Suhel Ajaz Khan @SuhelAKhanIFS assumed the charge in the Embassy today. He commenced his first day by unfurling the tricolour," read a tweet by the Embassy of India in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, @IndianEmbRiyadh.

Earlier on Monday, the Ambassador presented a copy of his credentials to the Chief of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to begin his mission in Saudi Arabia.

Dr Khan, a 1997-batch Indian Foreign Service officer was the Indian Ambassador to Lebanon. "Dr Suhel Ajaz Khan (IFS: 1997), presently Ambassador of India to the Republic of Lebanon has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," the MEA said in a statement in December.

According to MEA, his first foreign assignment was to the Embassy of India, Cairo where between 1999-2001, apart from the other duties at the Embassy, he obtained an Advanced Diploma in the Arabic Language from the American University, Cairo.

He later served at the Indian Embassy in Damascus, handling Administration, Press and Political Affairs between 2002-2005.

His next assignment was as Consul at the Consulate General of India, Jeddah between 2005-2008, where he handled several issues including the Haj matters and Haj arrangements for the Indian pilgrims.

Later, Suhel Khan worked as Deputy Secretary in the WANA (West Asia North Africa) Division of the Ministry of External Affairs between 2008-2009 followed by a stint at the Indian High Commission, Islamabad between 2009-2011 where he handled Visa and Consular matters. Between 2011 and 2013, Khan served as Director in the office of Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed. Khan served as a United Nations Pension Board member in 2016 and 2017. He worked at the Indian Embassy in Riyadh between September 2017 and June 2019 as Deputy Chief of Mission, with the personal rank of Ambassador.