India Appoints Prem Chand as Ambassador to Cabo Verde, Muanpuii Saiawi as High Commissioner to Samoa; MEA Expands Diplomatic Outreach Across Africa and the Pacific
The Ministry of External Affairs has appointed IFS officer Prem Chand as India’s next Ambassador to Cabo Verde and senior diplomat Muanpuii Saiawi as High Commissioner to Samoa. Here’s everything about their careers, key postings and the strategic significance of the appointments.
India Appoints Prem Chand as Ambassador to Cabo Verde, Muanpuii Saiawi as High Commissioner to Samoa; MEA Expands Diplomatic Outreach Across Africa and the Pacific
India has announced two key diplomatic appointments as part of its continuing efforts to strengthen engagement with strategically important regions across Africa and the Pacific. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has appointed Prem Chand (IFS:2011) as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Cabo Verde, while senior diplomat Muanpuii Saiawi (IFS:2005), who is currently serving as India’s High Commissioner to New Zealand, has been given the additional responsibility of serving as the next High Commissioner to the Independent State of Samoa.
The appointments underline New Delhi’s growing emphasis on expanding its diplomatic footprint among island nations that are becoming increasingly significant in global geopolitics, maritime security, trade and climate cooperation.
While Prem Chand will take up his first ambassadorial assignment in West Africa, Muanpuii Saiawi will add another important Pacific nation to her existing diplomatic responsibilities, reflecting India’s broader strategy of deepening partnerships across the Indo-Pacific and African regions.
Prem Chand Named India’s Next Ambassador to Cabo Verde
The Ministry of External Affairs has appointed Prem Chand, a 2011-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, as India’s next Ambassador to the Republic of Cabo Verde.
He is currently serving at the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, one of India’s busiest and most strategically important diplomatic missions.
The latest appointment marks a major milestone in his diplomatic career, as he prepares to assume ambassadorial responsibilities for the first time.
With more than fifteen years of experience in the Indian Foreign Service, Prem Chand has handled a variety of diplomatic assignments and contributed to India’s foreign policy initiatives across several important sectors.
Officials believe his experience will help strengthen India’s engagement with Cabo Verde as bilateral relations continue to expand.
Experience at India’s Mission in Abu Dhabi
Before being selected for his ambassadorial role, Prem Chand served in a key position at the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, where he was associated with one of India’s most significant bilateral relationships.
India and the United Arab Emirates share close cooperation in trade, investment, energy, infrastructure, security and the welfare of the large Indian diaspora.
During his tenure in Abu Dhabi, Prem Chand was involved in several important areas of diplomatic engagement, including political affairs, economic cooperation and consular services.
His work contributed to advancing India’s broader strategic interests while supporting closer cooperation between New Delhi and Abu Dhabi.
The experience gained at one of India’s busiest overseas missions is expected to prove valuable as he takes charge of a new diplomatic assignment in Africa.
Strengthening India’s Partnership with Cabo Verde
As India’s Ambassador to Cabo Verde, Prem Chand will be responsible for enhancing bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors.
The Republic of Cabo Verde, an island nation located off the northwestern coast of Africa in the Atlantic Ocean, occupies an important strategic position and has emerged as a valuable partner in India’s outreach to the African continent.
His responsibilities are expected to include promoting collaboration in:
Maritime security
Trade and investment
Development partnerships
Capacity building
Cultural exchanges
Political dialogue
People-to-people engagement
Officials expect his appointment to contribute to India’s long-term engagement with African island nations while reinforcing New Delhi’s growing presence across West Africa.
Muanpuii Saiawi Given Additional Charge of Samoa
In another significant diplomatic decision, the MEA has concurrently accredited Muanpuii Saiawi (IFS:2005) as the next High Commissioner of India to the Independent State of Samoa, with residence in Wellington, New Zealand.
Saiawi currently serves as India’s High Commissioner to New Zealand, a position she assumed in March 2026.
Her additional accreditation reflects India’s increasing focus on strengthening partnerships with Pacific Island countries, which have assumed greater strategic importance in recent years due to evolving geopolitical dynamics, climate challenges and maritime cooperation.
The concurrent arrangement also enables India to maintain close diplomatic engagement with smaller Pacific nations while efficiently expanding its diplomatic outreach across the region.
An Accomplished Career Diplomat
Over a career spanning more than two decades, Muanpuii Saiawi has established herself as one of India’s leading diplomats in the fields of multilateral diplomacy, international security and strategic affairs.
She is widely recognised for her expertise in:
International security
Cyber diplomacy
Disarmament
Emerging technologies
Multilateral negotiations
Her experience at both the Ministry of External Affairs headquarters and overseas missions has made her one of India’s prominent voices on global security issues.
From Mizoram to India’s Diplomatic Service
A native of Aizawl, Mizoram, Saiawi comes from a distinguished family with a long tradition of public service.
She is the daughter of the late Lalhmingliana Saiawi, one of the first IAS officers from the Mizo community and a noted novelist.
She completed her schooling at St. Anne’s High School before graduating from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai.
Even before joining the Indian Foreign Service, she demonstrated exceptional academic excellence by qualifying for both the Indian Audit and Accounts Service (2003) and the Indian Revenue Service (2004).
After entering the IFS, she received the prestigious Ambassador Bimal Sanyal Gold Medal as the Best Officer Trainee during her diplomatic training.
Leadership Roles at the Ministry of External Affairs
Saiawi has held several influential positions at the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi.
Between September 2022 and March 2026, she served as Joint Secretary in the Disarmament and International Security Affairs Division, where she played an important role in shaping India’s positions on international security issues.
She also headed the Cyber Diplomacy and New Emerging & Strategic Technologies Division between 2022 and 2023, overseeing India’s engagement on rapidly evolving issues related to cyber governance, digital diplomacy and emerging technologies.
Her work placed her at the forefront of policy formulation in areas that have become central to global diplomacy.
International Recognition in Multilateral Diplomacy
Saiawi has represented India at several high-level international forums over the years.
Among her notable achievements was chairing the 2022 United Nations Group of Governmental Experts on the Register of Conventional Arms, an important multilateral body dealing with transparency in international arms reporting.
The assignment reflected the confidence placed in her diplomatic capabilities and enhanced India’s profile in global discussions on international security and disarmament.
Diplomatic Assignments Across the Asia-Pacific
Throughout her career, Saiawi has served in several strategically important countries across the Asia-Pacific region.
Her overseas assignments include:
Israel, where she served as Counsellor handling press, information, culture and tourism.
Japan, where she worked as First Secretary responsible for information, education and cultural affairs.
Republic of Korea, where she contributed to strengthening India’s diplomatic engagement with Northeast Asia.
These postings provided her with broad experience in political diplomacy, cultural outreach, regional cooperation and strategic engagement.
Expanding India’s Pacific Outreach
As High Commissioner to New Zealand, Saiawi has already been entrusted with expanding India’s diplomatic engagement across the Pacific.
Before receiving responsibility for Samoa, she had also been concurrently accredited as India’s High Commissioner to the Cook Islands.
Her latest assignment further strengthens India’s presence among Pacific Island nations, where New Delhi has steadily expanded cooperation through development assistance, climate resilience initiatives, capacity-building programmes and political dialogue.
The move aligns with India’s broader Indo-Pacific vision, which seeks stronger partnerships with small island developing states facing common developmental and environmental challenges.
Personal Interests Beyond Diplomacy
Outside her professional responsibilities, Muanpuii Saiawi is a trained pianist with a deep interest in music and travel.
She has often incorporated these interests into cultural diplomacy initiatives aimed at strengthening people-to-people connections between India and partner countries.
She is married to a fellow Indian diplomat, who currently serves as India’s Ambassador to Vietnam, and the couple has a daughter.
Strengthening India’s Global Diplomatic Footprint
The appointments of Prem Chand and Muanpuii Saiawi highlight India’s continuing efforts to expand its diplomatic engagement across regions that are becoming increasingly important in global politics and economic cooperation.
While Prem Chand will focus on strengthening India’s partnership with Cabo Verde and broadening engagement across West Africa, Saiawi’s expanded responsibilities in Samoa are expected to reinforce New Delhi’s growing presence in the Pacific.
Together, the appointments reflect the Ministry of External Affairs’ strategy of deploying experienced diplomats to key international assignments, ensuring that India’s political, economic, strategic and developmental partnerships continue to deepen across emerging regions of global importance.
