Washington, Oct. 23 – Paul Kapur has taken the helm of the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs. The former policy planner was sworn in as the new Assistant Secretary of State, a key post the Trump administration has long wanted to fill.
Kapur steps in after Donald Lu, who led the bureau from September 2021 to January 2025. His new role puts him in charge of U.S. policy on everything from security and counterterrorism to trade and infrastructure in a region that includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Afghanistan, and Central Asian republics.
He brings a deep background on the region. From 2020 to 2021, Kapur worked on South and Central Asian issues and Indo‑Pacific strategy on the State Department’s Policy Planning Staff. He also chaired the India‑U.S. Track 1.5 dialogues and other defence initiatives that bring the two countries closer together.
Kapur’s academic ties boost his expertise. He is a visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution and teaches at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. In early October, the U.S. Senate confirmed him by a vote, alongside new U.S. Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor.
During his confirmation hearing, Kapur said his career has “come full circle.” He was born in New Delhi to an Indian father and an American mother, grew up in the U.S., and has now returned to shape U.S. policy in the region.
“India and the United States share a host of common interests,” he told the Senate. “We work together to keep the Indo‑Pacific open and free, boost trade, share technology, and secure the energy that fuels our economies.”
On Pakistan, Kapur said the U.S. will pursue security cooperation “where it benefits U.S. interests.” The Bureau will continue to guide U.S. engagement on security, economic ties, counterterrorism, and infrastructure development across South and Central Asia.
Source: ianslive
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