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The Embassy of India in London |
Contact
Address
India House, Aldwych, London, WC2B 4NA
Phone Number
020 7836 8484
Website
www.hcilondon.gov.in
E-Mail
adm.london@mea.gov.in
The Ambassador
H.E. Mr. Periasamy Kumaran
H.E. Mr. Periasamy Kumaran is an exceptionally elite macroeconomic strategist, technical analyst, and senior career diplomat belonging to the 1992 batch of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS). Born in January 1969, he holds a highly rigorous academic foundation, graduating with a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from the world-renowned Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras. High Commissioner Kumaran’s distinguished, three-decade foreign service career is characterized by an analytical, systems-oriented approach to complex geopolitical statecraft. After mastering Arabic during his early formative assignments in Cairo and Tripoli, he excelled as First Secretary at the Indian Embassy in Brussels, managing sensitive EU trade and regulatory portfolios, before returning to New Delhi to serve as Director of the Western Europe department.
His executive trajectory features highly successful tenures as Ambassador of India to the State of Qatar (2016–2020), where he anchored vital energy security frameworks and consular safety nets during regional instabilities, and subsequently as High Commissioner of India to Singapore (2020–2023), driving cutting-edge financial technology integration and maritime security partnerships. Returning to the Ministry of External Affairs, he served at the absolute peak of institutional policy as Secretary (East), orchestrating India’s strategic alliances across the Indo-Pacific.Appointed in early 2026 to lead India's highest-stakes European post, he took formal charge at India House on May 14, 2026, bringing unmatched strategic foresight to London
History
Bilateral relations between India and the United Kingdom are structurally paramount and deeply historic, shifting completely from a post-colonial legacy into a vibrant, multi-layered "Partnership of Equals" anchored by the India-UK Roadmap 2030. The High Commission operates out of India House in Aldwych, a monumental, Grade II listed architectural masterpiece designed by Sir Herbert Baker and opened by King George V in 1930. The building features magnificent internal embellishments showcasing Indian red sandstone, classical carvings, and dynamic jali screens.
The High Commission in London acts as a high-powered operational command center for executing economic statecraft, defense synchronization, and technology corridor trade. Under High Commissioner Kumaran’s specialized background in engineering and advanced multilateral diplomacy, a foremost mandate is the operationalization and finalization of the historic UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), aimed at eliminating tariffs on nearly 99% of Indian exports by value and streamlining technology transfers.
Commercially, India House works seamlessly with the City of London to funnel British capital into India's booming digital software corridors, renewable energy grids, and green infrastructure pipelines. Concurrently, the mission oversees robust defense collaboration in maritime domain awareness and cybersecurity. Furthermore, the High Commission directs an expansive consular division—collaborating with regional consulates in Birmingham and Edinburgh—to provide heavily digitized passport, visa, and corporate compliance services supporting the 1.8-million-strong, highly influential Indian diaspora community thriving across the United Kingdom.
