Muktesh Pardeshi.
New Delhi: Muktesh Pardeshi has been appointed as India’s next ambassador to Turkiye (Turkey), marking a pragmatic diplomatic shift at a time when relations between New Delhi and Ankara have been lukewarm. Pardeshi, a senior Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer from the 1991 batch, brings with him over three decades of diplomatic experience across various key postings.
Pardeshi currently holds the position of secretary at the Ministry of External Affairs (foreign ministry) at the overseas Indian affairs department, where he is responsible for handling India’s diaspora relations and policies concerning overseas Indians. Prior to this, he has served in several high-profile diplomatic roles, including as India’s high commissioner to New Zealand and ambassador to Mexico. His extensive experience also includes being India’s deputy chief of mission in Jakarta and serving in various capacities in Switzerland, Colombia, and Belgium.
In addition to his diplomatic credentials, Pardeshi has garnered recognition for his strong leadership in consular and diaspora affairs. His tenure as India’s chief passport officer from 2010 to 2016 was marked by transformative changes, streamlining passport services and introducing e-governance initiatives to improve efficiency.
Pardeshi’s appointment as India’s ambassador to Turkiye comes at a critical juncture. Relations between India and Turkiye have been strained over the past few years, particularly following Ankara’s comments on Kashmir at international forums and its deepening defence and strategic ties with Pakistan, which did not sit well with New Delhi. Ankara has also been supplying high-end military drones to Islamabad in recent years.
The two nations have also diverged on several geopolitical issues, creating a challenging environment for diplomacy, like Turkiye’s military support for Azerbaijan and India’s arms supply to Armenia, etc.
With his vast diplomatic experience and expertise in managing sensitive international relations, Pardeshi is expected to work toward easing tensions and exploring new avenues for cooperation between India and Turkiye, especially in areas like trade, investment, and cultural exchange. His appointment reflects New Delhi’s intention to engage constructively with Ankara despite current challenges.
