WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden on Friday nominated to a US ambassadorship a second Indian-American inside every week, this time a legislative and govt insider. Puneet Talwar, a very long time Biden aide on the Senate International Relations Committee who has served each in Congress and administration was named ambassador to Morocco pending Senate affirmation.
Talwar's nomination got here solely days after Biden named Shefali Razdan Duggal, an Indian-American from California of Kashmiri heritage, as ambassador to the Netherlands. In contrast to Duggal, who's from the non-public sector and occasion activist and fundraiser, Talwar is a Washington insider, having held senior nationwide safety and overseas coverage positions within the State Division, White Home, and United States Senate, together with as an advisor to Biden on middle-east affairs on the Senate International Relations Committee. He's at present a Senior Advisor on the State Division.
Talwar has beforehand served because the Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Navy Affairs, Particular Assistant to the President and Senior Director on the Nationwide Safety Council within the Obama White Home, throughout which period he's mentioned to have performed a key position in backchannel diplomacy that led to the Iran nuclear deal.
In 2012, International Coverage Journal named him as one of many 50 strongest Democrats in overseas coverage. In keeping with the White Home notification, his public service additionally consists of key roles within the US Home of Representatives and the State Division’s Coverage Planning Workers.
Outdoors of presidency, he has been a Senior Fellow on the Asia Society Coverage Institute, a Visiting Scholar on the College of Pennsylvania Penn Biden Middle, a Counselor to the battle decision NGO Inter Mediate, and a non-resident Scholar at Georgetown College’s Middle for Safety Research.
Talwar's resume lists a B.S. Diploma in Engineering from Cornell College and an M.A. in Worldwide Affairs from Columbia College.