AMID THE GLOBAL LEADERS attending the 18th BRICS Summit in India, there was another individual alongside the Indian Prime Minister (PM) who caught the attention of netizens. Since then, his photographs are making circles across social media platforms, with varying opinions on his appearance, resolve and personality.
On Saturday, September 12, 2026, at around 4.13 pm, PM Modi shared a photograph on social media platform X, holding hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese Premier Xi Jinping. This photograph was an epitome of evolving relationships in global politics, but also featured an Indian Diplomat, who could be witnessed in several other videos, photographs, sharing a close space with the global leaders.
This Indian Diplomat is Sidharth Babu, a 36-year-old Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer of the 2017-batch, with a specialization in European affairs for New Delhi.
Sidharth Babu hails from the ‘Gods own country’, and was born in Kaloor, Kochi. He studied at the Nava Nirman Senior Secondary School from 1995 to 2006, and then went on to finish his higher secondary (class 12) at Bhavan’s Adarsha Vidyalaya in 2008. Babu has a background in mechanical engineering, and completed his BTech (Bachelor of Technology) from Mar Athanasius College of Engineering—a government-aided engineering college in Kothamangalam in Kerala.
After completing his graduation, Babu went onto work for an e-commerce firm for two years, when he had chalked out the plan to prepare for the civil services entrance examination. He took a leap of faith and began his preparations with history and political science as his core subjects.
The act of choosing one's passion, however, does not guarantee success. What is essential is to find the right balance between passion, determination and perseverance. Babu, likewise, could not clear the all-India examination in his first attempt. What could have been poetic justice, was met with a sudden taste of reality. This did not stop Babu from pursuing his passion, as he went on to clear the all-India examination in 2017, at the age of 26, with an All India Rank of 15. After clearing the exam, Babu followed his passion and entered the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and began to learn Mandarin as the compulsory foreign language. According to the guidelines of the service, every IFS officer needs to learn at least one foreign language.
Sidharth’s initial posting—2018 to 2022—was in the Indian Embassy in China, where he meticulously built his proficiency over Mandarin, Chinese culture, history, politics and economy. His time at the Indian embassy was also a tumultuous one, as the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged through people’s lives across the globe.
However, his passion for the service and specific interest in Chinese politics led him to pursue a Master’s course in Translation and interpretation of English to Chinese and Chinese to English at the Middlebury Institute for International Studies in Monterey, California, in 2022. He successfully completed his course in 2024.
After his dedicated focus on the Chinese question, Babu was posted in New Delhi, at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in 2024, as an Under Secretary. In January 2025, he began to serve as the Deputy secretary in the East Asia Division, MEA. The East Asia Division of the MEA is mainly associated with the affairs of China, Japan, South Korea, North Korea and Mongolia. This includes managing bilateral ties, diplomatic and economic engagements, and strategic affairs with these countries. Owing to his proficiency in the language, Sidharth Babu is also the go-to-person for interpretations and translations for the prime minister and other officials in this division, particularly China.
The initial responses across social media were filled with vile comments on Sidharth Babu. People picked up on his appearance, dressing style and looks. Several users began to shame him for his attire. One user commented, “This translator needs to be replaced. They should find someone who is well-groomed, presentable and speaks confidently, because he’s going to interact with world leaders. Presentation matters in these settings.” Another user commented, “he needs a hair transplant”, followed by the questions such as “why did he bring his jacket from Chandni Chowk market?”, among others.
However, netizens soon got to know of his real identity and pushed back on their comments. A number of news channels, social media influencers and content creators also took to the social media, and struck back at the online trollers.
For Sidharth, however, these comment-wars would not mean anything. For someone, entitled with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the East Asia Division—one of the most economically promising and politically charged regions—worrying about the opinion-game on social media is the last thing on his plate. Acting in close contact with the global leaders of the BRICS summit indicates his significant role in the theatre that navigates geopolitical equations. Additionally, the 18th BRICS Summit was a crucial point that would set the stage for future geopolitical equations amid the raging wars, genocidal repression, vulnerable protectionist regimes and an attempt to strengthen the multipolar world order.
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