Ambassador Anil Wadhwa was a member of the India Foreign Service from 1979–2017 and has served as the Indian Ambassador to Italy, Thailand, Oman and Poland. As Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs of India he oversaw relations with South East Asia, Gulf and West Asia, Pacific and Australasia. He has served as the Indian Ambassador and permanent Representative to FAO, IFAD, WFP UNESCAP and worked with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague heading the Government Relations and Political Affairs and Media and Public Affairs Branches. He has served as India’s chief delegate to the East Asia Summit, Asean- India, ASEM, ACD, the Arab league, Mekong Ganga Cooperation, and ARF meetings. Ambassador Wadhwa’s previous postings include stints with the Indian Permanent mission to the United Nations in Geneva, twice to the Indian Embassy in Beijing, and in the Commission of India in Hong Kong.

He has led a Confederation of Indian Industries task force for writing the Australia Economic Strategy report for the Indian government released by the Minister of Commerce, Industry & Textiles in November 2020.

Ambassador Wadhwa is currently a Distinguished fellow with the Vivekananda International Foundation, New Delhi and serves as an Independent Director and Advisor on the Boards of some corporate firms and organisations in India and abroad. Views expressed here are personal.