Sibi George is a senior Indian diplomat who recently drew attention during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Europe. He became widely discussed after strongly defending India during a tense interaction with foreign journalists in Oslo, Norway.
George is currently serving as Secretary (West) in India’s Ministry of External Affairs and is one of the key diplomats accompanying PM Modi during international visits.
What happened during the press interaction in Oslo?
During a press interaction in Oslo, a Norwegian journalist asked why the world should trust India and questioned why PM Modi was not answering questions directly during the foreign visit.
In response, Sibi George defended India strongly and confidently. “How would you test trust in a country?” George asked calmly before speaking about India’s role during Covid-19, its democratic system, peaceful transfers of power and leadership during the G20 Summit in New Delhi.
“We are 1/6th of the world’s population, but not 1/6th of the world’s problems,” he said. He also said that India’s Constitution gives every citizen the right to approach the courts if they believe their rights have been violated. The exchange quickly became popular on social media in India, where many people praised George for handling the difficult questions confidently.
Why is Sibi George getting attention online?
Sibi George has become popular online because of the way he answers difficult international questions about India. Instead of giving short diplomatic replies, he often explains India’s history, democracy, culture and diversity in detail.
During another interaction with a Dutch journalist, George responded to questions about press freedom and minority rights in India. “There is no other country in the world where four religions originated and continue to flourish,” he said. He spoke about Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, and also explained how Judaism, Christianity and Islam have existed in India for centuries.
“That makes our democracy a very noisy democracy and we are proud of that,” he remarked while talking about freedom of expression and India’s digital media landscape.
Where is Sibi George from?
Sibi George comes from the Podimattam family of Pala in Kottayam district of Kerala. People who know him describe him as calm, well-prepared and deeply knowledgeable despite working in high-pressure diplomatic environments for many years.
Sibi George’s educational qualification
Sibi George is a gold medallist in both graduation and post-graduation. He also studied at the The American University in Cairo.
He received training at several prestigious institutions, including:
Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration
Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad
Indian Institute of Management Bangalore
Indian Institute of Foreign Trade
Indian School of Business
Sibi George joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1993. Over the years, he has served in several important diplomatic positions across the world.
He has worked as India’s Ambassador to:
Japan
Switzerland
Kuwait
Marshall Islands
Liechtenstein
Holy See
He also served in Indian missions in Cairo, Doha, Islamabad, Washington DC, Tehran and Riyadh. At the Ministry of External Affairs headquarters in New Delhi, he handled the East Asia Division and coordinated the India-Africa Forum Summit. In 2014, he received the S.K. Singh Award for Excellence in the Indian Foreign Service.
Why is Sibi George important in India’s diplomacy today?
As India faces more international attention on global platforms, diplomats are increasingly expected to defend the country’s policies and democratic system publicly. Sibi George has become one of the most visible Indian diplomats because of his ability to answer difficult questions directly and confidently. Many supporters see him as a strong communicator who represents India firmly during challenging international press interactions.