IFS officer Sidharth Babu drew attention after appearing behind PM Modi, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin in a viral photograph from the BRICS Summit.
A China specialist, Babu serves as Deputy Secretary in the MEA’s East Asia Division and previously spent four years posted in Beijing.
From mechanical engineering and e-commerce to the IFS, Babu’s career has included diplomatic postings in China and the US, along with advanced training in language interpretation.
A photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi standing alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the BRICS Summit has gone viral, but social media users have also spotted another face in the frame — a young Indian diplomat standing just behind the three leaders and smiling as they spoke.
The officer is Sidharth Babu, a 36-year-old Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer. According to India Today, Babu was helping Modi follow Xi Jinping’s remarks during the interaction.
Babu currently serves as Deputy Secretary in the East Asia Division of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), making his expertise in China and the Chinese language particularly relevant to his role.
From Mechanical Engineering To The IFS
Babu, who is from Kochi, Kerala, initially pursued a career far removed from diplomacy. He completed a degree in mechanical engineering from Mar Athanasius College of Engineering in 2012 and later worked in the e-commerce sector.
He subsequently began preparing for the Civil Services Examination. After failing to clear his first attempt, Babu secured All India Rank 15 on his second attempt and opted for the Indian Foreign Service.
His interest in diplomacy, however, had developed much earlier. In a 2017 interview with The Times of India, Babu recalled being fascinated by international relations and diplomacy through television discussions on global affairs and conversations with retired diplomats.
That interest eventually led him to a diplomatic career, with China becoming a major area of expertise.
Four Years In Beijing, Then A Posting In East Asia Division
After joining the IFS in 2017, Babu's first overseas assignment was in Beijing. He served as Third Secretary and later Second Secretary from 2018 to 2022, gaining extensive experience of China and developing his Chinese-language skills.
He was later posted as a consul in California from August 2022 to June 2024. During his US posting, he also completed a master's degree in language interpretation and translation at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey.
Babu returned to New Delhi in 2024 and took charge as Deputy Secretary in the MEA's East Asia Division in January 2025.
His appearance behind Modi, Xi and Putin at the BRICS Summit therefore reflected more than a moment captured by a camera. His language skills and experience in China place him among the officials who help facilitate India's high-level engagement with Beijing.
The BRICS photograph was also not Babu's first appearance at a high-profile diplomatic event involving Modi. He was seen during the 77th Republic Day celebrations in January 2026, when he helped interpret a conversation between Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
His presence on the VIP podium had drawn attention then as well.
