Dr. Suresh Kumar has been replaced as India’s chargé d’affaires in Pakistan by Geetika Srivastava, who is also the country’s first female foreign service officer.
The change coincides with Pakistan’s appointment of a new chargé d’affaires in New Delhi. Aizaz Khan was replaced by Saad Warraich as Pakistan High Commissioner.
In every era, women have contributed significantly to diplomacy. Women’s participation in diplomatic initiatives and negotiations has gained increasing attention over time, and Geetika’s appointment to a coveted position comes amid calls for diverse teams to address the two sides’ complex relations as tensions remain high.
Being appointed after the UK’s first female high commissioner to Pakistan, India’s top diplomat is another addition to the club of female diplomats.
As Suresh Kumar returns home after retiring, the new Indian diplomat will take over
.
The new diplomat began working for the Indian Foreign Service about 20 years ago. She has worked in China throughout her career and speaks Mandarin Chinese well. She also serves as a joint secretary for the Foreign Office’s Indo-Pacific Division.
After the 2019 skirmishes, relations between Pakistan and India have remained tense. Pakistan downgraded diplomatic ties with India in response to the BJP government’s illegal decision to revoke the special status of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which resulted in no full-time high commissioners being appointed.
