New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs on Monday (August 17, 2026) announced the appointment of two senior Indian Foreign Service officers as Ambassadors to Switzerland and Iraq.
Soumendu Bagchi (IFS:1993), presently Ambassador of India to the Republic of Iraq, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Switzerland.
Meanwhile, Ajay A Kumar (IFS:2001), presently serving as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Iraq.
Both officers are expected to take up their respective assignments shortly.
Bagchi, a 1993-batch IFS officer, was appointed Ambassador of India to Iraq in 2024. He will now move to Switzerland for his new diplomatic assignment.
Ajay A Kumar, a 2001-batch IFS officer, is currently serving as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs and will succeed Bagchi as India’s Ambassador to Iraq.
Get Latest Updates