Amb (Retd.) Ranjan Mathai

Former Foreign Secretary of India

Ambassador Ranjan Mathai joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1974.He served in Indian Embassies in Vienna, Colombo, Washington, Tehran and Brussels (1976-1994); and held several key positions in the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India, including as Joint Secretary, heading the Division responsible for India's relations with Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. (1995-1998)

He was Ambassador of India in Israel, Qatar, and France(1998- 2011).

He was the Foreign Secretary of India for 2 years from August 2011 to July 2013. After his retirement he was appointed High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom (Dec 2013- Dec 2015)

He is an analyst and commentator on international affairs.

Amb (Retd.) P. S. Raghavan

Former Indian Ambassador to Russia, Czech Republic and Ireland;
Convener of the National Security Advisory Board, India (NSAB)

Since September 2016, Ambassador P.S. Raghavan chairs the NSAB, which advises India's National Security Council on national security issues of immediate and long-term relevance. In his diplomatic career (1979-2016), he has been Ambassador of India to Russia, Czech Republic and Ireland and had diplomatic positions in UK, Poland, South Africa and Vietnam.

As Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, he handled India's external economic relations, including development partnership with developing countries, mainly in Asia and Africa. He writes and lectures widely on strategic affairs, India's relations with great powers and national security.

Ms. Friederike Tschampa

Head of Political Affairs at the Delegation of the European Union to India

Ms Friederike Tschampa covers, amongst other, India's regional and international policies, EU-India relations including political and security cooperation as well as high-level visits and meetings.

In earlier assignments, she handled United Nations and Asian human rights issues in the European External Action Service's Global and Multilateral Department as well as, previously, Asia regional affairs and the coordination of the Political and Security Committee in the Council of the European Union.

On posting in New York from 2008 until 2012, as part of the Delegation's Political Team, she contributed to building the EU's new role at the United Nations following the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty. Prior to joining the EU civil service, Ms. Tschampa worked for the German Ministry for International Cooperation in Berlin, international organisations in Sarajevo/Bosnia and the German Mission to the United Nations in Geneva.