Vikram Doraiswami Appointed India’s Next Ambassador to China

New Delhi, March 2026 : Senior diplomat Vikram K Doraiswami has been appointed as India’s next Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Thursday. Doraiswami, currently serving as India’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, is expected to assume his new role shortly.

A 1992-batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service, Doraiswami brings with him decades of diplomatic experience across key global assignments. He was appointed High Commissioner to the UK in August 2022 after completing a successful tenure as India’s envoy to Bangladesh.

Doraiswami’s association with China dates back to the early years of his career. After completing his initial training in New Delhi, he was posted to the Indian mission in Hong Kong in 1994 as Third Secretary. During this time, he developed proficiency in the Chinese language, undertaking formal studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He later served at the Indian Embassy in Beijing from 1996, gaining valuable on-ground experience in Chinese affairs.

Over the years, Doraiswami has held several important assignments in India and abroad. He worked at the Prime Minister’s Office in 2002, serving as Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, before moving to New York in 2006 as Political Counsellor at India’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations.

In 2009, he was appointed Consul General in Johannesburg, South Africa, followed by a key role at the MEA headquarters in New Delhi, where he headed the SAARC Division between 2011 and 2012. During this period, he also served as Coordinator for the BRICS Summit held in New Delhi in 2012.

A seasoned hand in multilateral and bilateral diplomacy, Doraiswami later served as Joint Secretary in charge of the Americas Division at the MEA from 2012 to 2014. He went on to represent India as Ambassador to Uzbekistan and subsequently to South Korea, further expanding his diplomatic footprint across regions.

His appointment to Beijing comes at a time when India-China relations remain strategically significant, requiring experienced leadership and nuanced engagement.

Doraiswami will succeed Pradeep Kumar Rawat, who has been serving as India’s Ambassador to China since December 2021. Like his successor, Rawat is also a seasoned diplomat with prior experience in China, including postings in Hong Kong and Beijing and a second tenure as Deputy Chief of Mission.

The appointment of Doraiswami, with his deep diplomatic experience and familiarity with China, is seen as a significant step in strengthening India’s engagement with its eastern neighbour.