Sanjay Kumar Panda appointed India's Ambassador to Turkey

Panda, a 1991 Indian Foreign Service officer, is presently Consul General, Consulate General of India, San Francisco. He is expected to take up the assignment shortly, the MEA said.

Panda's appointment to the post comes at a time when India-Turkey relations are under strain.

Last month, India had asked Turkey to refrain from commenting on the internal affairs of the country and also cautioned Ankara against encouraging cross-border terrorism.

India's reaction came after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticised the country after communal riots in Delhi left at least 42 people dead.