Subrahmanyam Jaishankar (born 9 January 1955) is an Indian diplomat and politician, who is the thirtieth Minister of External Affairs of the Government of India since 31 May 2019. [1] He is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party and has been a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha since 5 July 2019. He previously served as the Foreign Secretary from January 2015 [2] [3] to January 2018. [4] He is the second diplomat to be appointed India's External Affairs minister, after Natwar Singh . [5] [6] He joined the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in 1977, and during a diplomatic career spanning over 38 years, served in different capacities in India and abroad, including as a High Commissioner to Singapore (2007–2009) and as Ambassador to the Czech Republic (2001–2004), China (2009–2013) and the US (2014–2015). Jaishankar was one of the officials in the MEA, the Department of Atomic Energy and the Prime Minister’s Office who played a role in negotiating the Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement . On retirement, Jaishankar received an unusual exemption from the “cooling off period” mandated for all retiring civil servants and joined Tata Sons as President, Global Corporate Affairs. [7] In 2019, the Padma Shri , India's fourth-highest civilian honour , was conferred upon him. [8] On 30 May 2019, he was sworn in as a cabinet minister in the second Modi ministry . [9] Although Shivshankar Menon retired as Foreign Secretary and went to become India’s powerful National Security Adviser, an office closely involved in the formulation and execution of Indian foreign policy, Jaishankar is the first former foreign secretary to head the Ministry of External Affairs as the Cabinet Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar (born 9 January 1955) is an Indian diplomat and politician, who is the thirtieth Minister of External Affairs of the Government of India since 31 May 2019. [1] He is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party and has been a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha since 5 July 2019. He previously served as the Foreign Secretary from January 2015 [2] [3] to January 2018. [4] He is the second diplomat to be appointed India's External Affairs minister, after Natwar Singh . [5] [6] He joined the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in 1977, and during a diplomatic career spanning over 38 years, served in different capacities in India and abroad, including as a High Commissioner to Singapore (2007–2009) and as Ambassador to the Czech Republic (2001–2004), China (2009–2013) and the US (2014–2015). Jaishankar was one of the officials in the MEA, the Department of Atomic Energy and the Prime Minister’s Office who played a role in negotiating the Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement . On retirement, Jaishankar received an unusual exemption from the “cooling off period” mandated for all retiring civil servants and joined Tata Sons as President, Global Corporate Affairs. [7] In 2019, the Padma Shri , India's fourth-highest civilian honour , was conferred upon him. [8] On 30 May 2019, he was sworn in as a cabinet minister in the second Modi ministry . [9] Although Shivshankar Menon retired as Foreign Secretary and went to become India’s powerful National Security Adviser, an office closely involved in the formulation and execution of Indian foreign policy, Jaishankar is the first former foreign secretary to head the Ministry of External Affairs as the Cabinet Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar (born 9 January 1955) is an Indian diplomat and politician, who is the thirtieth Minister of External Affairs of the Government of India since 31 May 2019. [1] He is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party and has been a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha since 5 July 2019. He previously served as the Foreign Secretary from January 2015 [2] [3] to January 2018. [4] He is the second diplomat to be appointed India's External Affairs minister, after Natwar Singh . [5] [6] He joined the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in 1977, and during a diplomatic career spanning over 38 years, served in different capacities in India and abroad, including as a High Commissioner to Singapore (2007–2009) and as Ambassador to the Czech Republic (2001–2004), China (2009–2013) and the US (2014–2015). Jaishankar was one of the officials in the MEA, the Department of Atomic Energy and the Prime Minister’s Office who played a role in negotiating the Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement . On retirement, Jaishankar received an unusual exemption from the “cooling off period” mandated for all retiring civil servants and joined Tata Sons as President, Global Corporate Affairs. [7] In 2019, the Padma Shri , India's fourth-highest civilian honour , was conferred upon him. [8] On 30 May 2019, he was sworn in as a cabinet minister in the second Modi ministry . [9] Although Shivshankar Menon retired as Foreign Secretary and went to become India’s powerful National Security Adviser, an office closely involved in the formulation and execution of Indian foreign policy, Jaishankar is the first former foreign secretary to head the Ministry of External Affairs as the Cabinet Minister