New Delhi
Ambassador Sanjeev Kumar Singla has been appointed as India’s next ambassador to Monaco, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Friday. He is currently serving as India’s ambassador to France and will now take on the Monaco role as well, with his residence continuing in Paris.
The MEA stated, Shri Sanjeev Kumar Singla (IFS:1997), presently Ambassador of India to France, has been concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador of India to the Principality of Monaco, with residence in Paris.
India and Monaco established official diplomatic relations in 2007, although consular ties go back to 1954. The two nations share warm relations and have gradually expanded cooperation in areas such as trade, tourism, and taxation.
While the trade volume between India and Monaco remains modest, the MEA highlighted the potential for growth and diversification in the bilateral trade basket. There are also opportunities for collaboration with Monaco-based companies in advanced technology and services.
During a visit to Monaco by India’s then Minister of State for Finance in May 2018, several areas of cooperation were identified. These include investment in India’s Smart Cities projects, renewable energy, environmental protection, smart city security, marine resource conservation, tourism (especially cruise and coastal tourism), and innovative construction technologies, including land reclamation.
The appointment of Ambassador Singla is seen as a step towards strengthening these ties and exploring new avenues of collaboration between India and Monaco.