New Delhi: Jawed Ashraf who is currently Indian High Commissioner to Singapore was on February 26 appointed India’s next Ambassador to France.

Ashraf, a 1991-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, is “expected to take up the assignment shortly,” the Ministry of External Affairs said. He succeeds Vinay Mohan Kwatra as Indian Ambassador to France, considered a crucial posting in view of rising strategic ties between the two countries.

Kwatra has been appointed Indian Ambassador to Nepal.