Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi has been appointed as India’s next Permanent Representative to the United Nations, the ministry announced on Monday. Currently, Ruchira Kamboj serves in the position.

Bagchi is expected to take up the appointment shortly, the MEA said. He joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1995 and serves as an Additional Secretary in the MEA.

Bagchi replaced Anurag Srivastava as spokesperson in March 2021. His tenure was eventful as it spanned the COVID-19 pandemic, the standoff with China in eastern Ladakh, India hosting the G20 Summit in September this year and the increased pace of India’s engagements with various partners.

Before becoming the ministry spokesperson, Bagchi previously served as Indian ambassador to Croatia for almost one and a half years from November 2018 to June 2020. He also served as deputy high commissioner to Sri Lanka and director of the Prime Minister’s Office.

Ruchira Kamboj is the current Indian Permanent Representative to the UN. She joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1987 and served in several high-profile positions, including being the High Commissioner to South Africa, Ambassador to Bhutan, Ambassador to UNESCO and Chief of Protocol. She was the first lady diplomat to assume the position of Permanent Representative to the UN.

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