Sudhakar Dalela Appointed New Secretary (Economic Relations), Sibi George As Secretary (West) In MEA

Sudhakar Dalela As Secretary (Economic Relations)

In an order issued on Tuesday, the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) said, “The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Sudhakar Dalela (IFS:1993), Grade-I of IFS, as Secretary (Economic Relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs, vice Dammu Ravi (IFS:1989) upon his superannuation on 31.08.2025.”

In a similar separate order, the DoPT said, “The ACC has approved the appointment of Sibi George (IFS:1993), Grade-I of IFS, as Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs vice Shri Tanmaya Lal (IFS:1991) upon his superannuation on 31.08.2025.”

Dalela is currently posted as India’s Ambassador to Bhutan. He commenced his diplomatic career in Tel Aviv, Israel. He has since served in Indian missions in Brasília, Chicago, Geneva, Dhaka and Washington DC.

Dalela has also served in critical roles in New Delhi, including that of Director in the Prime Minister’s Office (2009-2011), focusing on India's engagement with its South Asian neighbours, as well as East Asia, and countries in the Indo-Pacific region, the Gulf, the Middle East, and Africa.

Having served as Director North (2006-2007) and subsequently as Joint Secretary (North) in the MEA (2016-2019), he oversaw India’s relations with Bhutan and Nepal, and was also the Counsellor at the High Commission of India in Dhaka (2007-2009). 

He brings a wealth of experience in trade and economic policy to his role, having served in the Department of Commerce in New Delhi as Director (Trade Policy), and twice at the Permanent Mission of India to the WTO, including as India’s Deputy Permanent Representative from 2014 to 2016.

Before joining the the IFS, Dalela earned a bachelor’s degree in Electronics Engineering. 

Sibi George As Secretary (West)

His batchmate, Sibi George, is currently posted as the Ambassador of India to Japan. Earlier, he served as Ambassador to Switzerland, The Holy See, the Principality of Liechtenstein, and Kuwait.

He began his diplomatic career in Cairo, where he served in India's mission as a Political Officer. Subsequently, he moved to the Indian Embassy in Doha, where he handled Consular, Community, Information and Media Affairs as the First Secretary. 

Later, he served as Political Counsellor in the Indian High Commission in Islamabad and as Political Counsellor and Commercial Counsellor at the Indian Embassy in Washington, DC. He also served as Deputy Chief of Mission in the Indian missions in Tehran and Riyadh.

In Delhi, he served in the East Asia Division and also as coordinator of the India-Africa Forum Summit. He later headed the Administration, Establishment and Welfare Divisions in the MEA. In 2014, the MEA conferred on him the S K Singh Award for Excellence in the IFS.

A gold medallist, both in his graduation and post-graduation, he also studied at the American University in Cairo.