Raminder Singh Jassal, India's deputy chief of mission in Washington, DC, has been appointed the Ambassador to Turkey.

Jassal succeeds Chitra Narayanan, daughter of former President the late K R Narayanan, who moves as India's envoy to Switzerland [Images].

Jassal, who served as joint secretary in the external publicity division of the ministry of external affairs from 1999-2001, had the task of communicating India's position to the world at the height of the Kargil war.

As India's official spokesman, the 1976 batch IFS officer also handled media arrangements for all foreign visits of the prime minister and all incoming state and official visits including that of President Bill Clinton [Images] in March 2000.

Jassal was also a member of the Indian negotiating team for the Indo-US civil nuclear deal, which is now stuck due to opposition from the Left parties.

Jassal served as India's ambassador to Israel from 2001-04 and had joined as deputy chief of mission, embassy of India, Washington, DC, on January 17, 2005.