New Delhi [India], June 16 (ANI): Aliawati Longkumer has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Monday. Longkumer, a 2008-batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), is currently serving as the Charge d’affaires at the Embassy of India in Asuncion, Paraguay.
According to the MEA statement, Longkumer is expected to take up the new assignment in Pyongyang shortly. “Aliawati Longkumer (YOA: 2008), presently Charge d’affaires a.i., Embassy of India, Asuncion, Paraguay, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. He is expected to take up the assignment shortly,” the statement read.
India and North Korea have maintained diplomatic relations marked by mutual understanding, cooperation, and historical goodwill. Consular ties between the two nations were first established in March 1962. Subsequently, India set up a Consulate General in North Korea in 1968, and the diplomatic relationship was elevated to the Embassy level on December 10, 1973.
India played a notable role in Korean affairs in the aftermath of the Korean War (1950–1953), when the United Nations formed the Neutral Nations Repatriation Commission. The Commission was chaired by Indian Army officer Major General K. S. Thimayya, whose leadership during the exchange of prisoners of war was widely lauded.
Over the years, India has consistently supported peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. Regular exchanges of views are conducted through the Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) mechanism, addressing bilateral issues of mutual interest.
India has repeatedly called on North Korea to refrain from nuclear and ballistic missile tests, advocating for restraint and diplomacy to ease regional tensions. India also welcomed key peace initiatives such as the inter-Korean summits held at Panmunjom and Pyongyang in 2018, and the historic meetings between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore (June 12, 2018) and Hanoi (February 27–28, 2019).
India has emphasized that sustained dialogue and constructive engagement are essential to securing lasting peace and reconciliation in the region. Longkumer’s appointment comes at a time of continuing geopolitical flux in Northeast Asia, where diplomatic finesse remains critical.
(ANI)
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