Route · 1977–2018
Diplomatic Career
Four decades in the Indian Foreign Service, posting by posting, as recorded in official biographies. Scroll the timeline and the map follows.
Moscow55°45′N / 37°37′E
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197728°36′N / 77°13′E
Entry into service
Joins the Indian Foreign Service
- Context
- The Indian Foreign Service is India's professional diplomatic service. Its officers serve in missions abroad and at the Ministry of External Affairs.
- Source
- Embassy of India, Washington — bio-profile
-
1979–198155°45′N / 37°37′E
Moscow
Third and Second Secretary (Political), Embassy of India
- Designation
- Third Secretary, then Second Secretary (Political)
- Context
- First recorded posting abroad. The Embassy was accredited to the Soviet Union.
- Source
- Embassy of India, Washington — bio-profile
-
1981–198528°36′N / 77°13′E
Headquarters
Under Secretary, Americas and Policy Planning, Ministry of External Affairs
- Designation
- Under Secretary
- Source
- Embassy of India, Washington — bio-profile
-
1985–198838°54′N / 77°02′W
Washington, D.C.
First Secretary (Political), Embassy of India
- Designation
- First Secretary for political affairs
- Source
- Embassy of India, Washington — bio-profile
-
1988–19906°56′N / 79°52′E
Sri Lanka
First Secretary and Political Advisor to the Indian Peace Keeping Force
- Designation
- First Secretary; Political Advisor to the IPKF
- Context
- The Indian Peace Keeping Force was deployed in Sri Lanka after the India–Sri Lanka Accord of 1987.
- Source
- Embassy of India, Washington — bio-profile
-
1990–199347°30′N / 19°02′E
Budapest
Commercial Counsellor, Embassy of India
- Designation
- Commercial Counsellor
- Context
- These years coincided with Hungary's transition after 1989.
- Source
- Embassy of India, Washington — bio-profile
-
1990s28°36′N / 77°13′E
New Delhi
Director, East Europe Division; Press Secretary to the President of India
- Designation
- Director (East Europe), Ministry of External Affairs; Press Secretary to the President
- Note
- The MEA profile refers to assignments in the Ministry and in the President's Secretariat. Exact years are not given there.
- Source
- Embassy of India, Washington — bio-profile · MEA — EAM profile
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From 199635°41′N / 139°42′E
Tokyo
Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of India
- Designation
- Deputy Chief of Mission
- Context
- India and Japan established diplomatic relations on 28 April 1952. The relationship was designated a “Global Partnership” in 2000.
- Source
- Embassy of India, Washington — bio-profile · MEA — India–Japan brief
-
2000–200450°05′N / 14°26′E
Czech Republic
Ambassador of India
- Designation
- Ambassador, resident in Prague. His first posting as head of mission.
- Role of the office
- An ambassador heads India's mission, represents India to the host government and oversees political, economic, consular and cultural work.
- Source
- MEA — EAM profile
-
Between 2004 and 200728°36′N / 77°13′E
Americas Division
Head of the Americas Division, Ministry of External Affairs
- Note
- The Washington bio-profile lists this headquarters role between the Prague and Singapore assignments, without exact dates. Exact dates are not stated.
- Source
- Embassy of India, Washington — bio-profile
-
2007–20091°17′N / 103°51′E
Singapore
High Commissioner of India
- Designation
- High Commissioner. Commonwealth countries exchange High Commissioners rather than Ambassadors.
- Context
- India was one of the first countries to recognise Singapore in 1965. The two countries later raised relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, in September 2024.
- Source
- MEA — EAM profile · MEA — India–Singapore brief
-
2009–201339°54′N / 116°24′E
China
Ambassador of India
- Designation
- Ambassador, resident in Beijing
- Context
- India established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China on 1 April 1950. In 2003 the two countries set up the Special Representatives mechanism on the boundary question. The Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on border affairs came out of an agreement signed in January 2012, during this period.
- Source
- MEA — EAM profile · MEA — India–China brief
-
Dec 2013–201538°54′N / 77°02′W
United States
Ambassador of India
- Designation
- Ambassador. The Embassy states that he took up his responsibilities in December 2013.
- Context
- According to the MEA brief, the “New Framework for India–US Defence Cooperation” was renewed for ten years in 2015.
- Source
- Embassy of India, Washington — bio-profile · MEA — India–US brief
38°54′N / 77°02′WSecretary of State John Kerry shakes hands with Indian Ambassador Dr. S. Jaishankar. US Department of State.Image: US Department of State -
29 Jan 2015 – 28 Jan 201828°36′N / 77°13′E
Foreign Secretary
Foreign Secretary of India, Ministry of External Affairs
- Designation
- Foreign Secretary, the senior-most official of the Ministry. His two-year term was extended by one year in January 2017.
- Further reading
- The office and the tenure, in detail
- Source
- MEA — EAM profile · The Tribune, 24 Jan 2017
After the Foreign Service
From 2018
In April 2018, Tata Sons appointed him President, Global Corporate Affairs. On 30 May 2019 he became External Affairs Minister.