ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Aug. 3 (ANI): Dr. Satyanjal Pandey assumed charge as the Charge d’Affaires at the High Commission of India in Islamabad on Aug. 1, the Indian High Commission in Pakistan announced.
In a post on X on Monday, the High Commission said, “Dr. Satyanjal Pandey @DrSatyanjal assumed charge as Charge d’Affaires in the High Commission of India, Islamabad on 01 August 2026.”
Pandey succeeds Geetika Srivastava, who previously served as India’s Charge d’Affaires in Islamabad.
Before his new assignment, Pandey served as India’s deputy high commissioner to Sri Lanka, a position he assumed in August 2023.
According to his official LinkedIn profile, Pandey has been with the Ministry of External Affairs since September 2008. He previously served as the Regional Passport Officer in the Delhi region and was also a resident physician at GGS Hospital in Delhi. He studied at King George’s Medical College in Lucknow from 1999 to 2005.
The appointment comes as Pakistan has indicated it will invite India to attend the 2027 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit, which Pakistan is scheduled to host.
The remarks were made by Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi during a weekly media briefing on July 30 when asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be invited to the summit.
Responding to the question, Andrabi said all SCO member states would receive invitations in accordance with the organization’s procedures.
“As regards the SCO Summit, yes, all member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation will be invited at the level of the Heads of State or Government, should they wish to attend at the level of the Head of Government. So yes, invitations will obviously be extended, and this is an obligation on the part of Pakistan as the host,” Andrabi said.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization comprises 10 member states spanning nearly 13.9 million square miles and is home to more than 3.4 billion people.
Pandey assumes his new role at a time when relations between India and Pakistan remain strained, with diplomatic engagement continuing to face significant challenges, particularly over issues related to the Indus Waters Treaty.
On July 24, responding to comments made by Pakistan at the ASEAN forum regarding the treaty, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated New Delhi’s position.
“The ASEAN forum was utilised by Pakistan to make certain remarks. We have issued categorical rejections of the issues raised through our press release,” Jaiswal said, adding that India’s position on the treaty remains unchanged.
“The Indus Waters Treaty remains in abeyance until Pakistan irrevocably and credibly abjures its support for cross-border terrorism,” he said. (ANI)
About The Author
