Shri Sujan R. Chinoy appointed Indian Ambassador to Mexico 

Shri Sujan R. Chinoy, presently Additional Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs and the senior most serving Gujarati diplomat, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Mexico. Shri Chinoy is the first Gujarati to hold such post.

A 1981-batch IFS officer, Shri Chinoy hails from a well-known family of Rajkot. His grandfather, Barrister C.N.Chinoy, was the Diwan of Rajkot State in pre-Independence days.

Shri Chinoy holds expertise on China and East Asia and over the years was part of many path-breaking visits of Indian leaders to the Communist country. As Consul General of India in Shanghai between 2000-2005 and thereafter, as Consul General of India in Sydney until 2008, Shri Chinoy worked extensively on India’s external trade and economic engagement.

Shri Chinoy has served in various key positions including those in the Indian Missions in Hong Kong and Beijing in the 1980s, and was part of late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s visit to China in 1988, former President R. Venkataraman’s visit to China in 1992 and former President K.R.Narayanan’s visit to the Chinese mainland in year 2000. He played a key role in improving bilateral relations with China, including in the immediate aftermath of India’s nuclear tests in 1998.

His other stints were as Under Secretary/Deputy Secretary (China) in the East Asia Division, Deputy Secretary in the Americas Division and as Officer On Special Duty (Press Relations) in the External Publicity Division of the Ministry of External Affairs.

As First Secretary/Counsellor in the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations in New York, 1992-1995, he dealt with diverse multi-lateral issues, including during India’s term as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. He was also India’s representative to the First Committee of the UN General Assembly, dealing with disarmament, non-proliferation & international security affairs. He was Counsellor (Political) in the Embassy of India in Riyadh in the mid-1990s followed by a four-year assignment as Director (China) in the Ministry of External Affairs, tasked with the mandate of ensuring peace and tranquility and promoting confidence building measures along the Line of Actual Control in the India-China border areas.

Born on September 27, 1958, Shri Chinoy did his schooling at the elite Rajkumar College in Rajkot. He studied BA (Hons.) in English Literature and Psychology from the M.S. University, Baroda, and, obtained an MBA degree in Marketing from Ahmedabad. He speaks fluent Chinese (Mandarin) and is also well versed in French, German, Japanese, Arabic and Creole.