India names Periasamy Kumaran as new High Commissioner to the UK

India names senior diplomat Periasamy Kumaran as new High Commissioner to the UK, replacing Vikram Doraiswami, recently appointed to China.

Published on: Mar 27, 2026, 03:00:20 IST

By Rezaul H Laskar, New Delhi

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India on Thursday named senior diplomat Periasamy Kumaran, currently the secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, as its new high commissioner to the United Kingdom.

Periasamy Kumaran, IFS officer since 1992, appointed India’s High Commissioner to London (Facebook.com)

Kumaran, who joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1992 and has served in Egypt, Belgium, Pakistan, Qatar, and Singapore, will replace Vikram Doraiswami in London. Doraiswami was recently appointed ambassador to China.

Kumaran, who holds a BTech in electronics and communication from IIT-Madras, served as ambassador to Qatar during 2016–2020 and as high commissioner to Singapore during 2020–2023. In July 2023, he assumed charge as additional secretary (economic relations) and was later promoted to special secretary in the same division. He took over as secretary (East) in April 2025.

Among his other overseas assignments were stints as counsellor in the high commission in Pakistan during 2007–2009, counsellor in the embassy in the US during 2009–2011, and deputy high commissioner at the high commission in Sri Lanka during 2011–2014.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rezaul H Laskar
Rezaul H Laskar is the Foreign Affairs Editor at Hindustan Times. His interests include movies and music.

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