Dr M. Anand Prakash replaces J.P. Singh to head MEA’s critical Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran (PAI) Division.
New Delhi: After the Ministry of External Affairs announced last month the appointment of Jitendra Pal Singh as the next envoy to Israel, all eyes turned to who would replace him as crucial Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran (PAI) division in MEA. Singh is credited with strengthening New Delhi’s diplomatic relations with Afghanistan post the Taliban’s takeover.
Sources in diplomatic circles, speaking to The Sunday Guardian on the condition of anonymity, stated that Dr M. Anand Prakash, a senior 2005 batch diplomat, will replace Singh and take charge of the PAI Division in the MEA.
Dr Prakash is currently serving as Joint Secretary for both the Central Europe (CE) and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Divisions.
In his role overseeing the Central Europe Division, he manages India’s diplomatic relations with countries including Albania, Austria, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, and Türkiye.
Additionally, he serves as Joint Secretary and National Coordinator for the SCO Division, where he has been at the forefront of engagements with key Eurasian powers like China and Russia.
His profile on X shows him sitting behind EAM Dr S. Jaishankar at the 23rd SCO Meeting on October 16 last year in Islamabad. Along with him, Singh and other officials were present.
Similarly, he was seen sitting behind National Security Advisor Ajit Doval at the 19th annual meeting of the secretaries of the security councils of the SCO in Astana, Kazakhstan, in April last year.
Earlier, Dr Prakash also served as Under Secretary in the West Asia and North Africa-I (WANA-I) Division, where he managed India’s diplomatic relations with countries in the West Asian and North African regions.
His appointment to the PAI Division comes at a time when New Delhi is closely engaging with Kabul. As reported earlier by TSG, discussions on diplomatic, security, and trade issues have been ongoing between the two sides, with Singh playing a key role.
Notably, Dr Prakash’s appointment coincides with growing internal conflicts within the Taliban. The supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, based in Kandahar, appears strong, while Kabul-based leaders are facing strong resistance from Kandahar.