Ajai Malhotra becomes new Indian Ambassador to Russia

"It is a great honour to be the Ambassador of India to any country, but even more so to the Russian Federation, a country with which India has traditionally had very warm and close ties," Malhotra said after returning to India House from the Kremlin. He succeeds P P Shukla, who served from 2007-2011 in Moscow.

During informal chat with President Medvedev, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Kremlin Foreign Policy aide Sergei Prikhodko, Malhotra conveyed "greetings and warm good wishes of the President of India, the Prime Minister and 1.2 billion people of friendly India."

Malhotra described India-Russia partnership as "unique, multifaceted and time-tested, characterised by unprecedented goodwill and trust," while talking to reporters and and senior embassy officials.

"It is an exemplary, relationship in many ways and we will work with our Russian friends to open new vistas and advance our special and privileged strategic partnership to a qualitative new level," he said.

Malhotra has done several stints in Moscow in the past. Previous to his appointment here he was Indian Ambassador in Kuwait.