Mohan Kumar

Ambassador Prof. (Dr.) Mohan Kumar has had an illustrious 36-year career in the Indian Foreign Service, culminating in his role as India’s Ambassador to France, where he significantly strengthened the Indo-French strategic partnership across various sectors, including defense, space, and energy. Prior to this, he served as Ambassador to Bahrain during the complex geopolitical landscape of the Arab Spring. Dr. Kumar is highly regarded for his expertise in international trade, having been India's lead negotiator at both the GATT and WTO, focusing on critical areas such as Intellectual Property Rights and Dispute Settlement. He has represented India at several WTO Ministerial Conferences and played a pivotal role in shaping India's relations with neighboring countries like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs. He holds an MBA from the University of Delhi and a Ph.D. from Sciences Po in Paris. Since June 2018, he has chaired the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) and authored the book Negotiation Dynamics of the WTO: An Insider’s Account.