Geetika Srivastava To Become India's First Woman Charge d'Affaires In Pakistan

India is set to witness a historic moment as a woman takes on the role of head of mission in Pakistan for the first time since Independence.

Geetika Srivastava, a member of the 2005 batch of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), has been appointed as the new Charge d’Affaires (CDA) in Islamabad.

She will be succeeding Dr M Suresh Kumar, who is expected to return to New Delhi.

Despite the downgraded status of diplomatic representation between the two countries, with no High Commissioners currently in place, the Indian government has made the decision to appoint a woman IFS officer to lead its High Commission in Pakistan.

This marks a significant step towards gender equality and representation in the field of diplomacy.

Geetika Srivastava is currently serving as a Joint Secretary at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). In her role, she was overseeing the Indo-Pacific division, demonstrating her expertise and experience in the region.

Her selection as the head of mission in Pakistan reflects the government's confidence in her abilities to navigate the complex dynamics between the two nations.

With this appointment, India has sought to send a strong message of inclusivity and empowerment. Geetika Srivastava's leadership in the High Commission in Pakistan is not only supposed to enhance bilateral relations but also inspire more women to pursue careers in diplomacy and public service.

As part of her foreign language training, she learned Mandarin and served in the Indian Embassy in China from 2007 to 2009. She also gained experience working at the Regional Passport Office in Kolkata and served as the Director of the Indian Ocean Region division in the MEA.

There have been a total of 22 heads of mission in this role.

The most recent Indian High Commissioner to Islamabad was Ajay Bisaria, who was recalled after Pakistan downgraded the status of the High Commission following the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

While women diplomats have been posted to Pakistan before, they have not held the highest positions.

Additionally, Islamabad is considered a challenging posting and was designated as a "non-family" posting for Indian diplomats a few years ago, which often discourages women officers from taking up assignments in Pakistan.

Currently, there is a female diplomat serving as the First Secretary in the Indian High Commission.

In response, Pakistan has appointed a new CDA in New Delhi.

Saad Ahmad Warraich, a seasoned diplomat who previously served in Pakistan's Permanent Mission to the UN in New York, replaces Salman Sharif who recently left India and returned to Islamabad.