Profile
Taranjit Singh Sandhu
(print quality photo)
Ambassador
Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu is one of the most experienced Indian diplomats on US affairs, having served in the Indian Mission in Washington DC twice earlier. He was Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of India in Washington DC from July 2013 to January 2017. Earlier, he was First Secretary (Political) at the Embassy of India, Washington, DC responsible for liaison with the United States Congress from 1997 to 2000. He has also been at the Permanent Mission of India to United Nations, New York from July 2005 to February 2009.
Prior to his current assignment in Washington DC, Ambassador Sandhu was High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka from January 2017 to January 2020. He had also served at the High Commission of India, Colombo earlier as the Head of the Political Wing from December 2000 to September 2004.
Ambassador Sandhu was Consul General of India in Frankfurt from September 2011 to July 2013. He has worked in the Ministry of External Affairs in various capacities: as Joint Secretary (United Nations) from March 2009 to August 2011; and later as Joint Secretary (Administration) heading the Human Resource Division. He was Officer on Special Duty (Press Relations), Ministry of External Affairs from December 1995 to March 1997, and was responsible for liaison with foreign media in India.
In a distinguished career spanning over thirty years in the Indian Foreign Service since 1988, Ambassador Sandhu started his diplomatic career from former Soviet Union (Russia) where he worked as Third Secretary (Political) / Second Secretary (Commercial) in the Indian Mission from 1990 to 1992. Following the breakup of Soviet Union, he was sent to open a new Embassy in Ukraine. He served as Head of Political and Administration Wings in Indian Embassy in Kiev from 1992 to 1994.
Born on 23 January 1963 in a family of educationists, Ambassador Sandhu studied at The Lawrence School, Sanawar and graduated with History Honors from St. Stephens' College, Delhi. He pursued a Master’s Degree in International Relations at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
Ambassador Sandhu is married to Mrs. Reenat Sandhu, who is Ambassador of India to Italy. They have two children. His interests include books, movies and outdoor sports.
Ambassador Sandhu assumed charge as Ambassador to the United States on February 3, 2020.
Ambassador Sandhu presented his credentials to the President of the United States of America, H.E. Mr. Donald Trump at the Oval office of the White House on 6 February 2020.
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Profile
Vinay Kwatra
Ambassador of India to the United States of America
H.E. Mr. Vinay Kwatra assumed charge as the Ambassador of India to the United States of America on 12 August 2024.
Ambassador Kwatra joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1988. In a career spanning over 36 years, Ambassador Kwatra has served in senior roles both in Delhi and across the globe. Most recently, he served as India’s Foreign Secretary from May 2022 to July 2024. Prior to that, he served as Ambassador of India to Nepal from March 2020 to April 2022, and Ambassador of India to France and Permanent Representative of India to UNESCO from August 2017 to February 2020.
This is Ambassador Kwatra’s second stint in Washington DC: from May 2010 to July 2013, he served as the head of the Commercial Wing of the Embassy. His previous foreign assignments include the SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu as Director/ Joint Secretary (2006-2010), in Beijing as the Deputy Chief of Mission (2003-2006), and in several other roles spanning Tashkent, Durban, Karachi, and Geneva.
At headquarters, Ambassador Kwatra has served as Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (2015-2017), and has headed several divisions of the Ministry of External Affairs, including Americas, Public Policy and Research, and Counter Terrorism Divisions.
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