New Delhi, India — The Ministry of External Affairs has appointed Ajay A. Kumar (IFS: 2001), currently serving as Joint Secretary in the Ministry, as India’s next Ambassador to the Republic of Iraq. He is expected to take up the assignment shortly.
The appointment comes as India and Iraq continue to strengthen their longstanding historical and civilisational ties, with sustained high-level political exchanges and growing cooperation across several areas.
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India has emerged as a preferred destination for Iraqi citizens seeking medical treatment, while more than 10,000 Iraqi students have pursued PhD, master’s and undergraduate degrees in India.
Capacity building remains an important area of bilateral cooperation. In June 2025, 34 young Iraqi diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iraq completed the 5th Special Course for Diplomats conducted by the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service in New Delhi.
India has also allocated 200 ITEC training slots to Iraq to support capacity building among Iraqi government officials. More than 100 Iraqi professionals availed themselves of ITEC training during 2025–26.
Ajay A. Kumar’s appointment brings significant diplomatic experience to the post. His new assignment is expected to further strengthen India-Iraq relations, particularly in areas such as energy, trade, healthcare, education, capacity building and people-to-people ties.
