New Delhi: In a significant diplomatic reshuffle, the Government of India has appointed veteran Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer Sibi George as the new Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The move comes as part of a broader rotation of top-level officers within the ministry, coinciding with the superannuation of senior diplomats.
Sibi George, a distinguished 1993-batch IFS officer, replaces Tanmaya Lal (IFS: 1991), who is set to retire on July 31, 2025. Alongside George’s appointment, Sudhakar Dalela has been named Secretary (Economic Relations), taking over from Dammu Ravi (IFS: 1989), also retiring at the end of July.
Sibi George brings with him a wealth of experience gathered over three decades of diplomatic service, with assignments in some of the world’s most geopolitically sensitive regions. Before his current appointment, George served as India's Ambassador to Japan, playing a key role in advancing strategic partnerships with Tokyo.
He has earlier held ambassadorial roles in Kuwait, Switzerland, The Holy See (Vatican City), and Liechtenstein. His diplomatic career began in Cairo, Egypt, and continued in Qatar, Pakistan, the United States, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, where he held key political and consular responsibilities.
In New Delhi, George has contributed to both policy-making and administration. He played a pivotal role in the East Asia Division, coordinated the India-Africa Forum Summit, and led three crucial divisions Administration, Establishment, and Welfare underscoring his leadership in internal MEA functions.
In recognition of his service, he was conferred with the S.K. Singh Award for Excellence in the Indian Foreign Service in 2014.
George's tenure as India’s Ambassador to Kuwait was particularly noteworthy. During a period marked by the global COVID-19 crisis, he ensured the welfare of over one million Indians living in the Gulf country. His proactive leadership during the Vande Bharat Mission helped thousands of stranded Indians return home safely.
He strengthened bilateral ties in the fields of energy, education, healthcare, and labor mobility, while also promoting India’s soft power through cultural diplomacy and people-to-people engagement. His work earned praise both from the Indian government and the diaspora community.
As Secretary (West), Sibi George will now oversee India’s diplomatic engagement with Europe, Central Asia, and multilateral institutions, including the United Nations. This role has become increasingly critical given global uncertainties, from conflict zones in Europe to climate diplomacy on global platforms.
His portfolio also includes supervision of the External Publicity (XP) Division, which handles India’s international media relations and public diplomacy a responsibility added to the Secretary (West) role during the MEA's recent structural reform.
An academic achiever, George holds gold medals in both his undergraduate and postgraduate studies. He is also an alumnus of the American University in Cairo, where he pursued further academic enrichment that aligned with his early diplomatic assignments in the Middle East.
Given his vast and varied experience from bilateral diplomacy to high-level policy work and internal governance within the MEA Sibi George’s appointment as Secretary (West) is seen as a strategic move to further India’s outreach in the Western hemisphere. His leadership will be instrumental in shaping India’s global narrative, especially as the country navigates evolving geopolitical challenges and strengthens its partnerships across continents.