Navtej Sarna, India's longest-serving spokesman, was on Friday named next ambassador to Israel.
The 1980-batch Indian Foreign Service officer will succeed Arun Singh, who is being posted as India's Deputy Chief of Mission in Washington.
Sarna is at present joint secretary (External Publicity) in the Ministry of External Affairs, a post he has held since October 2002 to become the longest-serving spokesman of the foreign office.
A graduate in commerce and law with a diploma in journalism, the 51-year-old officer had earlier served in various capacities in Indian Missions in Russia, Poland and Iran besides at the headquarters in Delhi.
Before being appointed as the MEA spokesman, he served as minister (Press) in the Indian Embassy in Washington.
