Indian analysts welcome Richard Verma's nomination as US ambassador to India

Indian analysts on Friday welcomed U.S. President Barack Obama's decision to nominate former State Department official Richard Verma, an Indian-American, as the next U.S. ambassador to India.

Former diplomat Rajeev Dogra said President Obama's nomination is a move towards a positive outcome.

"Mr. Obama has picked on a person name Richard Verma to be United States ambassador to India, the name itself is extremely positive. It is a good augury for a person who is meant to bring the two countries together in many significant ways," said Dogra.

"So, I hope that both the Richard and Verma part of it delivers as has been promised in his name," he added.

Security expert Qamar Agha also welcomed the decision and hoped that it will work in favour of both countries.

"We hope that this will work. We have very close strategic ties with United States. Both the countries are democratic and we have been maintaining friendly relations with the country and the people," Agha said.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Majid Memon on his part hoped that the new envoy would take India's interests into consideration.

"Well, it's indeed welcomed that we are having the US ambassador who is originally an Indian. We hope that this new appointee Mr. Verma would remember his roots, would remember his origin and wherever discretionary decisions are need to be taken, he will consider Indian interests," said Memon.

Verma, who was working as a member of the Secretary of State's Foreign Affairs Policy Board, has been nominated by President Obama for the post.

Former U.S. ambassador to India, Nancy Powell, had left New Delhi in May after the row over Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade's detention.

Verma, who lives in Bethesda, Maryland, in Washington DC, was born to Punjabi parents who immigrated to the U.S in the 1960s.