Ajay Kumar

Dr. Ajay Kumar joined the Indian Foreign Service in 2002. He served in India’s Embassies in Cairo, Egypt from 2004-2007 and in Khartoum, Sudan from 2007-2010.

On returning to the Ministry of External Affairs of India in New Delhi, he served as Deputy Secretary dealing with Disarmament and International Security Affairs from 2010-2012. He represented India in meetings of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) at working level.

From January 2013 to June 2016, Dr. Kumar worked as First Secretary/Counsellor at the Embassy of India, Washington D.C. where he looked after India-U.S. trade and commercial relations. He also represented India on the Standing Committee of the International Cotton Advisory Committee in Washington D.C.

In July 2016 to August 2017, as Counsellor at the Embassy of India in Kathmandu, he worked on India’s post-earthquake reconstruction projects in Nepal. Additionally, from December 2016 to August 2017, he worked as Director (Economic, Trade and Finance) at the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Secretariat based in Kathmandu for promoting deeper economic integration in South Asian region. From August 2017 to July 2020, he was Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of India in Kathmandu, Nepal.

From July 2020 till July 2023, as Joint Secretary and Chief of Protocol, he looked after Parliament of India’s Inter-Parliamentary cooperation.

Since September 2023, as Minister (Commerce), he is heading the Commerce Wing of the Embassy of India, Washington D.C.

Dr. Kumar has completed his Doctorate Degree in Agronomy from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi. He speaks Hindi, English, Urdu and Arabic.