Who is Sidharth Babu? The 36-year-old diplomat seen in viral pics of Modi-Xi-Putin BRICS meet

A photograph featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the BRICS Summit drew widespread attention online. But another Indian official in the frame soon became a talking point of his own.

The officer is Sidharth Babu, a 36-year-old Indian Foreign Service (IFS) diplomat currently serving as Deputy Secretary in the East Asia Division of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). His role, along with his Mandarin skills and experience in China, has put him in proximity to several high-level diplomatic engagements.

Babu belongs to the 2017 batch of the IFS and has built his career around international relations, particularly India’s engagement with East Asia.

From mechanical engineering to the IFS

Babu is originally from Kochi, Kerala. According to his LinkedIn profile, he studied mechanical engineering at Mar Athanasius College of Engineering between 2008 and 2012.

Before entering the civil services, he worked in the e-commerce industry. His first attempt at the Civil Services Examination did not result in his selection. He returned the following year and secured All India Rank 15, eventually choosing the Indian Foreign Service.

He began his diplomatic career in New Delhi as an officer trainee in December 2017.

His first overseas posting was particularly relevant to his subsequent career. Babu moved to Beijing in August 2018 as a Third Secretary and was later promoted to Second Secretary, serving there until July 2022.

The four-year posting in China gave him firsthand experience of the country and its political and diplomatic environment, while also strengthening his Mandarin language skills.

From Beijing to California

After China, Babu moved to the US. Between August 2022 and June 2024, he served as Consul in Monterey County, California.

During the same period, he pursued a Master of Arts in Language Interpretation and Translation at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey.

Babu returned to New Delhi in June 2024, initially working as an Under Secretary. In January 2025, he became Deputy Secretary in the East Asia Division, the position he currently holds.

Not his first high-profile diplomatic appearance

The BRICS Summit was not Babu’s first appearance at a major engagement involving Modi.

During India’s 77th Republic Day celebrations in January, he was positioned on the VIP podium and interpreted a conversation between Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

His latest appearance has since made him a viral figure online, with social media users discussing both his role at the summit and, in some cases, his appearance. The attention, however, has brought renewed focus to the behind-the-scenes diplomatic officials who help facilitate conversations between world leaders.