New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has appointed senior Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer Devesh Uttam as the next Ambassador of India to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, marking a key diplomatic appointment at a time when India is expanding its strategic engagement with Africa. The MEA announced on Thursday that the 2003-batch IFS officer is expected to assume his new assignment shortly after completing his current tenure as India's Ambassador to the Republic of Lithuania.
The appointment comes after India and Ethiopia significantly upgraded their bilateral relationship in December 2025 by elevating ties to the level of a Strategic Partnership during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official visit to Ethiopia. During the visit, Ethiopia honoured Prime Minister Modi with its highest civilian award, The Great Honor Nishan of Ethiopia. The two countries also signed several bilateral agreements covering trade, investment, technology, development cooperation, agriculture, healthcare and capacity building, further strengthening diplomatic and economic relations.
Devesh Uttam will replace the current Indian Ambassador to Ethiopia, Anil Kumar Rai, a 2001-batch IFS officer. His appointment is considered important as Ethiopia hosts the headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa, making the country one of India's most strategically significant diplomatic missions in Africa. The posting is expected to strengthen India's outreach across the African continent and deepen cooperation under India's Africa policy.
Originally from Uttar Pradesh, Devesh Uttam was born on August 1, 1974, and joined the Indian Foreign Service in 2003 after serving in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry as Assistant Director General of Foreign Trade. His earlier experience in international trade and commerce is expected to support India's growing focus on economic diplomacy and trade partnerships in Africa.
During his career in the Ministry of External Affairs, Uttam headed the Consular, Passport and Visa (CPV) Division as Joint Secretary, one of the ministry's most critical administrative wings responsible for passport services, consular assistance, visa policy and overseas citizen-related matters. He also supervised the Office of the Central Authority for Extradition Matters, dealing with international legal cooperation, extradition requests, mutual legal assistance and coordination with foreign governments under bilateral and multilateral legal frameworks.
His overseas diplomatic experience spans several strategically important postings. He served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of India in Tehran, Counsellor at India's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, and held diplomatic assignments in Libya and Syria. In Tripoli, he led the Political and Commercial Wings of the Indian Embassy, while in Damascus he headed the Culture and Information Wing, handling political engagement, economic cooperation, cultural diplomacy and public outreach.
While serving at the United Nations in New York, Devesh Uttam was elected as a Member of the United Nations Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) from 2013 to 2016. The committee plays an important role in reviewing the UN budget, financial administration and governance-related matters. During the same period, he also represented India on the Advisory Board of the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF), contributing to discussions on international development, democratic governance and institutional capacity-building initiatives.
Within the Ministry of External Affairs, he has held several senior administrative and policy positions, including Director (Administration) and Under Secretary and Deputy Secretary handling Gulf Affairs. His experience includes diplomatic negotiations, policy formulation, administrative management, regional affairs and international coordination.
Academically, Devesh Uttam holds Master's and M.Phil. degrees from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. His M.Phil. research focused on the Eastern Enlargement of the European Union, examining the cost-benefit analysis for countries joining the European Union. He also studied International Business at the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), New Delhi, providing him with a strong foundation in global trade, economic policy and international commerce.
He is proficient in Hindi, English and Arabic and has also studied French and Sanskrit, reflecting his strong linguistic and cultural background, which is considered an advantage in international diplomacy and multilateral engagement.
According to publicly available information, his wife, Ruchi, is a dentist by profession with degrees in Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Dental Surgery. The couple has a 12-year-old son.
The latest diplomatic appointment is expected to reinforce India's expanding strategic, political and economic engagement with Ethiopia and the African region, particularly as New Delhi continues to strengthen bilateral partnerships, enhance development cooperation and increase its diplomatic presence across Africa.
