About

Ambassador (Dr.) Mohan Kumar

Ambassador Kumar is Professor of Diplomatic Practice at the Jindal School of International Affairs, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, India since August 2017. In addition, he is Dean, Strategic and International Initiatives in the office of the Vice Chancellor and the inaugural Director General of the Motwani Jadeja Institute for American Studies at the University.

Ambassador Kumar has had an outstanding career in the Indian Foreign Service lasting 36 years which culminated in his posting as India’s Ambassador to France (2015-17) based in Paris. Ambassador Kumar is both a Francophone and a Francophile. The strategic partnership between India and France grew remarkably under his watch in areas as diverse as defense, space, nuclear and solar energy, investment and culture. He was also closely involved in the negotiations surrounding the Climate Change Accord of Paris in 2015. Prior to this, he was India’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain (2010-15) where he was witness to the momentous events of the “Arab Spring”.

Ambassador Kumar has enormous expertise in the area of international trade and multilateral negotiations – he was India’s lead negotiator first at the GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) and then at the WTO (World Trade Organization) in crucial areas such as Intellectual Property Rights, Services, Dispute Settlement and Environment. He has served on multiple GATT/WTO panels relating to dispute settlement.

Ambassador Kumar oversaw India’s bilateral ties with Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Maldives from 2005 to 2007 as Joint Secretary at the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi.

Ambassador Kumar holds a MBA from the Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi and a PhD from the prestigious Sciences Po in Paris.

Ambassador Kumar served as the Chairman of Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), a policy think tank, New Delhi, India  from June 2018 to June 2022.

Ambassador Kumar’s expertise thus includes: diplomatic practice and foreign policy, multilateral negotiations including the areas of trade and climate change and more broadly, geopolitics.

Ambassador Kumar is author of two books: One entitled “Negotiation Dynamics of the WTO: An Insider’s Account”, published by Palgrave Macmillan (2018); the other entitled “India’s Moment: Changing Power Equations around the World” published by Harper Collins India (2023).

Ambassador Kumar is fluent in English, French, Hindi and Tamil. He is married and has two grown children. He is fond of travel, tennis, cricket and reading.  

POSITIONS                                                                                                                   

>   Member, World Advisory Board, OP Mobility (formerly Plastic Omnium), a leading French company. From 2021 to date.

> Visiting Faculty, Indian School of Business (ISB). From 2021 to date.

>Member, Programme Advisory Board, Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. From 2024 to date.

>Board Member, India-Sri Lanka Foundation. From 2025 to date.

                                                                                                   

                    

Detailed Biography

Ambassador Dr. Mohan Kumar

E-mail: mohankumarifs@gmail.com

Current Location: Greater Noida, Delhi NCR, India                                      

Mobile Phone: 00918826583336

Twitter: AmbMoKumar

Website: http://www.ambmokumar.com

Profile

High-ranking ex-diplomat with 36 years of experience in India’s premier foreign service. Was responsible for crafting and implementing a strategic partnership policy with France as the Indian Ambassador based in Paris.  

Was India’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain during the tumultuous period of the “Arab Spring”. Vantage position to observe the politics and dynamics of the Gulf countries.

Has extensive, first-hand experience in multilateral negotiations,
particularly the GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) / WTO (World Trade Organization), but also in the UN and the Climate Change negotiations that led to the Paris accord.

Presently a full-time academic, Dean (Strategic and International Initiatives) and Professor of Diplomatic Practice at India’s top ranked private University, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, India.

Regular contributor on foreign policy and strategic affairs in newspapers, journals and enjoys media appearances.

Core Skills

• Multilateral negotiations, specially trade and climate negotiations
• Strategic affairs 
• Geopolitical analysis, international trade, and diplomacy                                    
• Excellent orator with vast public speaking experience
• Strong written communication skills
• Fluent in English and French
• Leadership and interpersonal skills                        
• Formulating and Implementing Indian Foreign and Security Policy
• Conflict resolution and dispute settlement
• Strong academic background with proven teaching and research skills

Career Summary

May 2023

Was responsible for the 450-odd international collaborations that the University has with its partners around the world. Also the inaugural Director of the Jindal Global Centre for G20 studies from February 2023.

Professor of Diplomatic Practice                                     August 2017 to date

Responsible for teaching core courses on diplomacy and foreign policy for students at undergraduate and post graduate level of the Jindal School of International Affairs, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, India.

Chairman of Research and Information System

for Developing Countries (RIS)                                June 2018 to June 2022

Provided strategic guidance and leadership to the policy think tank (RIS) which deals, inter alia, with south-south cooperation, trade, investment, IPRs, Science diplomacy and Sustainable Development Goals.

Ambassador of India to France and Monaco         May 2015 – July 2017

Responsible for holding one of India’s largest diplomatic posts, strengthening strategic
partnership with France and implementing Government of India’s policy in diverse areas such as defence, nuclear energy, space, climate change, trade and investment.

Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of Bahrain  Nov 2010 – May 2015

Managed bilateral relations with a country belonging to a key region for India, the Gulf. Bahrain is a small country with 1.3 million inhabitants but close to 400,000 of them were Indian citizens, presenting a unique set of opportunities and challenges. The period on my watch saw internal turmoil in Bahrain and indeed, the region as a whole, on account of the “Arab Spring”.

Deputy Chief of Mission, Indian Embassy, Paris            August 2007- Nov 2010

Ran the mission on a day-to-day basis and provided strategic advice to the Ambassador on the entire gamut of Indo-French bilateral relations.

Joint Secretary for Bangladesh,                               

Sri Lanka, Maldives and Myanmar July 2005-August 2007

Responsible for  relations with some of India’s most important neighbors as Head of the Division in the Ministry of External Affairs.

Deputy High Commissioner, Indian High Commission,   

Colombo, Sri Lanka Dec 2001-July 2005

Ran the mission on a day-to-day basis and provided strategic advice to the High Commissioner on the full range of Indo-Sri Lankan bilateral relations.

Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of India  October 1998- Dec 2001

to WTO, Geneva

Was India’s lead negotiator in areas such as Intellectual Property Rights, Dispute Settlement, Trade and Environment, and Investment. Was a key member of the Indian delegation to the WTO Ministerial Conferences in Seattle (1999) and Doha (2001).

Counsellor/ Charge d’Affaires at the Indian         

Embassy in Belgrade, Serbia August 1995-Oct 1998

Was in Belgrade running the Indian diplomatic mission at an interesting time when Serbia was involved in a war of nerves with the West and the NATO.

First Secretary at the Permanent Mission    

of India to GATT/ WTO, Geneva June 1992-August 1995

India’s junior negotiator in a vast range of subject matters such as textiles, dispute settlement, anti-dumping, rules, and intellectual property rights. Was a key participant in the run up to the WTO Ministerial Conference in Marrakesh including participation in the Legal Drafting Group to see the transition from GATT to WTO.

Deputy Secretary dealing with Sri Lanka        

at the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi June 1990-June 1992

Desk officer at the Ministry of External Affairs.

Officer Trainee and Junior Diplomat,             

Morocco and Democratic Republic of Congo  July 1981-June 1990                                        

Second Secretary dealing with Political and Commercial work in the Indian missions mentioned.                                         

Education

PhD from Sciences Po, Paris                               2008-2012                                  

(Doctoral thesis: WTO Negotiating

Dynamics- A State of Disequilibrium)

MBA from the Faculty of Management            1976-78     

Studies, University of Delhi

BBA from Thyagarajar College,  University       1973-76

of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India   

Books    

(1) “Negotiation Dynamics of the WTO: An Insider’s Account” published by Palgrave Macmillan, 2018.

(2) “India’s Moment: Changing Power Equations Around the World” published by Harper Collins India, 2023.                                          

WTO related publications

• Contributed substantially to the Resource Book (conceived as a practical guide to the TRIPS Agreement of the WTO) on TRIPS and Development, UNCTAD-ICSTD, Cambridge University Press, 2004.
• Wrote a chapter entitled “Dispute Settlement System in the WTO: Developing Country participation and possible reform” in the book brought out by Dencho Georgiev, Kim Van der Borght  “ Reform and Development of the WTO Dispute Settlement System”, Cameron May, 2006.
• Wrote a chapter entitled “India at the WTO: From Scepticism to Activism” in the book

 “ Economic Diplomacy: India’s Experience”, CUTS International, 2011.

• Wrote a chapter entitled “Role of the negotiator as Chairman in WTO Bodies” in the book “Managing multilateral trade negotiations: the role of the WTO Chairman”, Cameron  May, 2011.

Participation in GATT/ WTO Panels

• GATT panel, EC Anti-dumping duties on imports of cotton yarn from Brazil, 1995.
• WTO panel, Chile-Taxes on Alcoholic Beverages, 1999.
• WTO panel, EC – Trade Description of Sardines, 2002.
• WTO panel, US- Definitive Safeguard Measures on Imports of Steel Products, 2003.
• WTO panel, EC- Measures Affecting the Approval and Marketing of Biotech Products, 2006.

Important Posts Held in the WTO system

• Chairman of the Working Party of the Accession of Moldova to the WTO, 1994.
• Chairman of the WTO Anti-Dumping Committee, 1995.
• Chairman of the WTO Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade, 1999.
• Vice-Chairman of the International Textiles and Clothing Bureau, Geneva, 1999.

Hobbies

Passionate about travel, reading, tennis and cricket.  Fond of music.

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