New Delhi [India], December 16 (ANI): MS Patiyal has been appointed as India's next ambassador to Timor Leste, as per an official statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

In a statement on Monday, MEA said, 'MS Patiyal (YOA: 2007), presently posted at Embassy of India, Tunis, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Democratic Republic of Timor Leste.'

He is expected to take up the assignment shortly.

India and Timor-Leste enjoy warm and friendly relations based on shared commitment to the values of democracy, pluralism and diversity.

India was one of the early countries to establish diplomatic relations with Timor-Leste and was represented at its Independence Day celebrations in May 2002 by a high-level delegation led by the then MOS for External Affairs Omar Abdullah. An MOU formally establishing diplomatic relations was signed on 24 January 2003, according to the Embassy of India in Timor Leste.

It further noted that Timor Leste supports India's permanent membership of the UNSC. This was formally announced by PM Alkatiri in 2003 at the UNGA. Timor Leste supported India's candidature for a non-permanent seat during 2011-12, and in 2021-22. Timor Leste co-sponsored the Resolution on Yoga in the UNGA.

On 7 September 2023, PM Modi announced at the ASEAN-India Summit that India would open a Resident Mission in Timor Leste. Accordingly, on 5 September 2024, the new Indian Embassy was established in Dili, Timor-Leste. Subsequently, the Government of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste also established its resident Mission in New Delhi, India in October 2024.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in January 2003, India and Timor Leste have been cooperating at bilateral, regional and international levels. India has been offering economic, technical and capacity building assistance to TL through several projects such as cooperation in health sector, and capacity building and projects under India-UN development partnership fund and the IBSA fund. (ANI)