American Roulette

An intense search has begun in right earnest for India’s next ambassador to the United States. A number of names, both within and outside the foreign service, are doing the rounds for this vital posting. Arun Singh, currently India’s ambassador in France and who had served as deputy chief of mission in Washington some years back, seems to be the front-runner. However, sources say till his name is announced, it’s not a done deal. Names of other retired diplomats, including  that of Hardeep Singh Puri, who retired as India’s permanent representative at the UN headquarters and later joined the BJP, are also being considered. The names of former foreign secretaries like Shyam Saran and Kanwal Sibal are also being thrown up as possible choices for Washington.

But the search may not be limited to the above. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken a number of out-of-the-box decisions, many of them have come as a total surprise. Therefore, the possibility of outing with a big name, perhaps from the business community or one from a leading industrial house, can be a somewhat remote but interesting possibility.

The Centre started the search for a suitable candidate when the high-profile post fell vacant after Subrah­manyam Jaishankar, India’s last amb­­­a­ssador to the US, was appointed the new foreign secretary last month.

Since Barack Obama’s visit to Delhi last month, the Indian political establishment appears to be highly optimistic about the future of Indo-US ties. The fact that the two sides not only managed to elevate their existing strategic partnership but also came out with a ‘vision statement’ that all­ows them to engage on a range of areas, seems to be behind the newfound enthusiasm in New Delhi.

For his man in Washington, Modi is now looking for someone who will be able to maintain the momentum generated during his engagement with the US president and ensure the focus of key players in the American establishment remains firmly on India.

From the time a newly-independent India appointed its first ambassador, Asif Ali, to the US in 1947, successive prime ministers, from Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru onwards, have dipped into a wide pool of talent­—consisting of educationists, academics, politicians as well as retired bureaucrats and diplomats—to choose from for the post. Past envoys include names like Vijaylakshmi Pandit, G.L. Patel and other luminaries. Of late, however, the trend is to choose from the pool of serving Indian diplomats, though some foreign secretaries had also been appointed on retirement.

While no one is sure how the PM is likely to interpret the ‘most suitable’ qualities for the post, sections believe that going by the manner in which he removed Sujatha Singh—six months before her tenure was to end and brought in Jaishankar, days before he was to retire—he might not want to ruffle more feathers in the MEA. If that is indeed his inclination, he might look for someone within the IFS. Moreover, if someone from outside the serving corps is appointed—either a retired diplomat or someone from a different field—the risk lurks that it could even lead to operational pro­blems between him and the foreign secretary. But even if Modi opts for Arun Singh, the appointment may have to wait till May, since Singh will be busy preparing for Modi’s scheduled trip to France in April.

However, while the PM and the new foreign secretary will contemplate on the right choice for Washing­ton, Modi would also have to decide before long if he wants to bring in a new spokesman and joint secretary, External Publicity. The current incum­bent, Syed Akbaruddin, considered widely to be one of the best  spokespersons MEA has had in a long time, has reportedly expressed his desire to go for a new posting. It appears that Modi is reluctant to let him go.

In South Block, they are waiting for a few names.