Who is Randhir Jaiswal, External Affairs Ministry's new spokesperson?

A 1998-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, Randhir Jaiswal on Wednesday officially took over the charge as the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson. He replaced 1995-batch IFS officer Arindam Bagchi after he completed his nearly three-year tenure and was appointed as India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other international organisations in Geneva.

In a post on X, the ministry said: "The baton passes on! Shri Randhir Jaiswal assumes charge as the Official Spokesperson of @MEAIndia as Shri Arindam Bagchi proceeds on overseas assignment."

Bagchi, who had been the face of the ministry for around three years, witnessed a number of global events, including the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, the military standoff with China in eastern Ladakh, India hosting the G20 Summit in September, evacuation of Indians from different parts of the globe, including Afghanistan, Russia and Ukraine and increased diplomatic engagements with various partners, including the recent India-Canada tensions.

Who is Randhir Jaiswal?

Randhir Jaiswal, who hails from Bihar’s Hajipur, is an alumnus of the University of Delhi and Ranchi-based Bishop Westcott Boys’ School. He also has a Masters degree in History. He has previously served as the consul general of India to New York. Jaiswal assumed the role of consul general in July 2020, navigating the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, where he played a crucial role in facilitating the repatriation of stranded Indian tourists, students, and diaspora members. He officially concluded his term in New York on November 26, 2023.

In 2017, he was on a deputation basis and served as the social secretary to the President, Ramnath Kovind for around three years. In the past, he had served in Portugal, Cuba, South Africa, and India's permanent mission to the United Nations in New York.

As a deputy secretary in the ministry, Jaiswal has also looked after relations with the US and as joint secretary managed ties with countries in Western Europe. During his stint in New York as consul general, he spearheaded several projects, including the launch of a Mobile App consolidating visa and overseas citizenship of India (OCI) services, featuring a unique Chat Bot named Bharati to assist applicants with frequently asked queries. Another innovation, Pramit 2.0, provides applicants with real-time updates on their application status.

• Arindam Bagchi
• Bharati Chat Bot
• COVID-19 pandemic
• G20 Summit
• Geneva
• India-Canada tensions
• India-US relations
• Indian Foreign Service
• MEA spokesperson
• Ministry of External Affairs
• Mobile App
• New York
• Permanent Representative
• Pramit 2.0
• President Ramnath Kovind
• Randhir Jaiswal
• United Nations
• consul general
• diplomat
• diplomatic engagements
• repatriation
• spokesperson