Shambhu S Kumaran, an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer from the 1995 batch, has been appointed as India’s Ambassador to Austria. Currently serving as the Ambassador of India to the Republic of the Philippines, Kumaran is set to assume his new role shortly.
Kumaran’s distinguished career in diplomacy has seen him undertake various key assignments both abroad and at headquarters. His international postings have included pivotal roles in Frankfurt and Berlin (1997-2002), Kathmandu as a Political Counsellor (2007-2009), and as Deputy High Commissioner to South Africa (2009-2012), where he made significant contributions to strengthening India’s diplomatic ties with these nations.
During his tenure at headquarters, Kumaran served in vital capacities such as Deputy Secretary (West Europe Division) from 2002-2004, handling relations with countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, and the Commonwealth. He also served as an Officer on Special Duty (Press Relations) in the External Publicity Division from 2004-2007, further enhancing India’s global outreach.
His notable assignments from 2012-2016 included roles as Director (East Asia/China), Joint Secretary (Establishment), and Joint Secretary (Eurasia) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Kumaran’s expertise was also leveraged in the Ministry of Defence, where he served on deputation from January 2016 to May 2019 as Joint Secretary (Planning and International Cooperation).
Before his current appointment, Kumaran served as the Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of Morocco from June 2019 to July 2020, where he played a crucial role in advancing bilateral relations between the two nations.
