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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 006133 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INR/B 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/01/2026 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PINR PBTS MOPS KDEM KISL PK IN
SUBJECT: THE PM PICKS A WINNER: SHIV SHANKAR MENON TO BE 
FOREIGN SECRETARY 
 
NEW DELHI 00006133  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador David C. Mulford for Reasons 1.4 (B, D) 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY:  The August 31 announcement that seasoned 
diplomat Shiv Shankar Menon will succeed Shyam Saran as 
Foreign Secretary with Saran moving to a newly-created post 
as the PM's Special Envoy for the Indo-US Civil Nuclear Deal 
represents not only a domestic coup for PM Singh, but also 
bodes well for 123 negotiations, the NSG, and IAEA talks with 
Saran in the lead, since it will strengthen the PMO role in 
our dialogue.  Speculation is rampant that PM Singh may fill 
the long-vacant Foreign Minister portfolio with Karan Singh, 
the current Foreign Affairs Department Chairman for Sonia 
Gandhi's Congress Party, because he is a potential candidate 
to balance domestic imperatives with foreign policy 
aspirations. END SUMMARY. 
 
A Smart Move by India 
--------------------- 
 
¶2.  (C) COMMENT:  Shyam Saran's move to the Prime Minister's 
Office as Special Envoy for the Indo-US Civil Nuclear Deal 
suggests a GOI desire to raise the 123, NSG, and IAEA 
discussions from the level of technical experts to the 
political level in an effort to break through bureaucratic 
barriers and move quickly to conclude the nuclear agreement. 
It also helps fill a vacuum at the PMO, where there has been 
no senior diplomat to provide strategic perspective offered 
formerly by NSA Dixit.  Elevating Menon over numerous 
competitors and keeping Saran are generally viewed as a coup 
for PM Singh, as he has overcome bureaucratic norms to place 
two superb diplomats in positions of policy control.  In 
addition, with Saran dominating the nuclear portfolio, Menon 
will be freed to devote more time and energy to pressing 
regional issues, to include relations with China and 
Pakistan.  Our PMO contacts tell us that Saran is likely to 
sit in Manmohan Singh's office suite, reinforcing the PM's 
control over the nuclear issue.  The chairmanship of the 
"Apex Committee" that provides guidance on nuclear policy 
will remain with NSA Narayanan, according to PMO staff, but 
Saran will play a key role.  At the same time, rumors are 
swirling that Singh may elect to fill the vacant Foreign 
Minister position to use in his political balancing act, or 
to make a largely ceremonial concession to the Congress Party 
in an effort to quell resistance in some ranks to UPA foreign 
policy initiatives.  One name figuring prominently is former 
Ambassador to Washington, D.C. Karan Singh, a key aide to 
Sonia Gandhi.  However, his frailty and age-related ailments 
may preclude him due to the heavy demands of the FM 
portfolio." END COMMENT 
 
A Record of Achievement with Tough Neighbors 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (U) Menon is a seasoned diplomat with a track record of 
critical postings and policy successes.  His achievements 
include taking the helm as High Commissioner in Islamabad 
when Indo/Pak relations were at their nadir and helping 
resume the stalled peace process in 2004, issuing a record 
number of visas, and organizing unprecedented 
people-to-people contacts from 2003-05.  Menon's tenure as 
Ambassador to China saw the first serious efforts to resolve 
 
NEW DELHI 00006133  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
decades-long border disputes and culminated with then Prime 
Minister Vajpayee's Beijing visit in 2003. His tenure in Sri 
Lanka was highlighted by passage of the Indian/Sri Lankan 
free trade agreement, while Indian/Israeli bilateral 
relations under his leadership. 
 
A Professional Diplomat's Diplomat 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) The Indian media, local contacts, and colleagues from 
posts where Menon has served laud his pragmatic, no-nonsense 
approach to foreign policy.  The British High Commission in 
Islamabad has the highest praise for Menon, citing his 
tireless work ethic in a tough environment, his savviness and 
his ability to parlay his China experience into an effective 
tool when dealing with the Pakistanis.  He is known in the 
media and diplomatic circles as being tough but fair-minded 
in his dealings with Pakistan, and our contacts and the local 
media say that he will want to keep Indo/Pak  engagement 
moving forward despite the recent setback of the Mumbai 
bombings.  The fact that he superceded a dozen or more 
officers to gain the coveted Foreign Secretary portfolio is a 
testament to his bureaucratic expertise. 
 
Menon's Career Track 
-------------------- 
¶5. (U) Born in Paris on July, 5, 1949, Menon obtained his 
master's degree in history from Delhi University and joined 
the Indian Foreign Service in 1972.  His previous posts 
include: 
-Second Secretary in Beijing from 1974-77; 
-Deputy Secretary at the Ministry of External Affairs in New 
Delhi from 1977-79; 
-First Secretary at the Permanent Mission in Vienna from 
1979-83; 
-Advisor for the Department of Atomic Energy from 1983-86; 
-First Secretary at the Indian Embassy in Beijing from 
1986-89; 
-Minister Counselor in Tokyo from 1989-92; 
-Ambassador to Israel from 1995-1997; 
-High Commissioner to Sri Lanka from 1997-2000; 
-Ambassador to China from 2000-03; 
-Serving as the High Commissioner in Islamabad from 
2003-Present. 
 
Miscellaneous Background 
------------------------ 
¶6. (U) Menon is married to Mohini Menon, and the couple has 
one son and one daughter.  He speaks English, Hindi, and 
Malayali, and has a working knowledge of several other 
languages, with Chinese and German being his strongest. 
Menon's personal passions include classical music and 
mountaineering.  His Kerala background will strengthen the 
GOI's network of senior bureaucrats from that state, 
including NSA Narayanan and Principal Secretary TKA Nair. 
 
 
MULFORD