Who is the young man behind PM Modi, Putin and Xi Jinping in viral BRICS photo? Meet IFS officer Sidharth Babu
A photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi standing alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the BRICS Summit has drawn widespread attention. But while the three leaders naturally became the focus of the frame, social media users were quick to notice another face- a young Indian official standing just behind them, watching the exchange with a smile.The man is Sidharth Babu, a 36-year-old Indian Foreign Service officer.According to India Today, Babu was helping Prime Minister Modi follow Xi Jinping’s remarks during the interaction. He is currently serving as Deputy Secretary in the East Asia Division of the Ministry of External Affairs, a role that makes his knowledge of China and the Chinese language particularly relevant.
From mechanical engineering to diplomacy
Babu’s career did not begin in diplomacy. Originally from Kochi, Kerala, he completed a degree in mechanical engineering from Mar Athanasius College of Engineering in 2012. After graduation, he worked in the e-commerce sector before deciding to prepare for the Civil Services Examination.His first attempt did not work out. On his second attempt, however, he secured All India Rank 15 and chose the Indian Foreign Service.His decision to pursue diplomacy was rooted in an interest that had developed well before the UPSC examination. In a 2017 interview with The Times of India, Babu recalled being fascinated by international relations and diplomacy. He said television discussions on global affairs and conversations with retired diplomats helped him understand what a diplomatic career could involve. That interest eventually became a career choice.
The young diplomat has extensive experience in India-China relations.
Four years in Beijing
After joining the IFS in 2017, Babu’s first overseas posting was in Beijing.He served there as Third Secretary and later Second Secretary between 2018 and 2022. The four-year stint gave him extensive exposure to China and helped him develop his Chinese-language skills.That experience now fits directly into his responsibilities in the East Asia Division of the MEA, where China is naturally a major part of India’s foreign-policy engagement.Babu later served as a consul in California from August 2022 to June 2024. During his time in the US, he also pursued a master’s degree in language interpretation and translation at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. He returned to New Delhi in 2024 and became Deputy Secretary in the East Asia Division in January 2025.
Not his first high-profile appearance with PM Modi
The BRICS photograph may have introduced Babu to a much wider audience, but it was not his first appearance alongside the prime minister during an important diplomatic engagement.He was also seen during the 77th Republic Day celebrations in January 2026, when he helped interpret a conversation between Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. His presence on the VIP podium drew attention at the time as well.
