Former Indian Ambassador, Author, Toastmaster, Strategic Advisor and West Asia Analyst
Dr. Ausaf Sayeed
Ambassador Dr Ausaf Sayeed (b. September 18, 1963) is a seasoned Indian diplomat (IFS 1989 Batch) and strategic thinker who has served as Secretary (CPV and OIA) in the Ministry of External Affairs, as Ambassador of India to Saudi Arabia and Yemen, and as High Commissioner to Seychelles.
He also served as a diplomat in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Denmark, Yemen and Chicago. In India, he served as Joint Secretary (West Africa) in Delhi and as Regional Passport Officer in Hyderabad.
As Secretary (CPV & OIA), he was responsible for all matters relating to Consular, Passport, Visas, Overseas Emigration, and NRI & Overseas Indian Affairs, as well as affairs of GCC and WANA countries.
During his nearly 34 years of diplomatic service, Dr Sayeed has represented India’s interests in the political, economic, consular, and cultural realms and has fostered friendly relationships with nations around the world.
My Journey
Dr Ausaf Sayeed has handled various areas of work over his nearly 34 years of diplomatic service, including political, economic, consular, and cultural work, as well as Hajj management.
Dr Ausaf Sayeed holds a Master of Science and a PhD in Geology from Osmania University in Hyderabad, India, and an Advanced Diploma in Arabic from the American University in Cairo. He is a Competent Toastmaster (CTM) and recipient of Shri Y.G.K.Murthy Gold Medal from Osmania University, Hyderabad. The prestigious Yoga Mithra Award was also conferred on him by the S-Vyasa University for his efforts to promote Yoga in Saudi Arabia.
Delhi, India
Secretary (CPV & OIA)
Ministry of External Affairs
2022 – 2023
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Ambassador of India
2019 – 2022
Mahe, Seychelles
High Commissioner of India
2017 – 2019
Chicago, USA
Consul General of India
2013 – 2017
Sanaa, Yemen
Ambassador of India
2010 – 2013
Years in Service
Countries Worked in
Countries Visited
Photo Gallery
Dr. Ausaf Sayeed
Gandhi Jayanti in Riyadh
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi
With PM Modi and Swami Ishatmananda
With His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
With Crown Prince HRH Mohammad Bin Salman
With former President Pranab Mukherjee
With former President Ram Nath Kovind
With former President Smt. Pratibha Patil
With former President Danny Faure of Seychelles
With Vice-President Vincent Meriton of Seychelles
Dalai_Lama
With HRH Prince AdbulAziz Bin Salman
With Saudi Foreign Minister HH Faisal Bin Farhan
Republic Day Celebrations in Riyadh, 2020
Independence Day Celebrations 2016, Chicago
My Publications
Indian Art & Culture – Time & Tradition
Indian Art & Culture
Trends In Indian Culture And Heritage
Trends in Objective Geology
Kulliyat-e-Awaz Sayeed
Latest Blogs and Articles
Flanking the Axis: India’s Strategic Hedge in West Asia
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s three-nation tour to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman (December 15-18, 2025) comes amid geopolitical churn in West Asia, marked by a fragile ceasefire in Gaza, the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, and the crystallisation of a new Saudi-Pakistan-US alignment, offering a window into India’s evolving role as a strategically autonomous middle power.
The Key in His Pocket: Remembering Dr Mughni Tabassum
My maternal uncle, Dr Mughni Tabassum (1930–2012)—affectionately known to us as “Mamoojan”—was a towering figure in Urdu literature. He embodied a rare balance of character, seamlessly integrating the rigour of a critic with the soul of a poet. His life was marked by intellectual innovation and deep empathy, qualities that allowed him to navigate the evolving landscapes of academia, editing, and poetry with remarkable grace.
After US-Saudi pact, new West Asia in the making
The recent visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) to Washington marks a definitive turning point in both the regional and global order. For India, the era of viewing the Gulf solely through the prism of energy and diaspora is over; it is now a high-stakes theatre of national security.
Summit that staunched bloodshed in West Asia
The Sharm el-Sheikh summit represents a watershed in Middle East diplomacy, but its legacy is profoundly ambiguous. Co-chaired by the US and Egypt, the gathering of world leaders succeeded in brokering an end to a devastating two-year war in Gaza, securing a ceasefire, the release of all hostages and prisoners, and an unprecedented international commitment to reconstruction and oversight.
The Sharm el-Sheikh Summit: A Pause on Conflicts, but No Guarantees of Lasting Peace
The Sharm el-Sheikh Summit of October 2025 exemplifies high-stakes, personality-driven diplomacy. It successfully ended a devastating two-year conflict between Israel and Hamas, securing a ceasefire and the return of hostages, providing momentous human relief. However, the summit is more a tactical achievement in crisis management than a strategic step toward peace.
Trump’s Gaza peace plan: Searching for solutions
Donald Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan has transitioned from a political concept to a tense, high-stakes negotiation marked by fragile progress and deep mistrust. Following Hamas’s conditional acceptance to release hostages and relinquish power, indirect talks in Sharm el-Sheikh—mediated by Egypt and Qatar—seek to operationalise the plan’s first phase involving ceasefire terms, prisoner exchanges, and security guarantees. Despite temporary optimism, no formal ceasefire, large-scale exchange, or public agreement has materialised, underscoring the plan’s uncertain prospects.
In The News
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‘Modi’s West Asia tour aims at strategic hedging’
Read today's op-ed by Ausaf Sayeed👇http://toi.in/mri0JZ
: ‘Modi’s West Asia tour aims at strategic hedging’ https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/not-categorized/modis-west-asia-tour-aims-at-strategic-hedging/
Sharing my article: "Flanking the Axis: India’s Strategic Hedge in West Asia" on PM Modi’s three-nation tour to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman, which comes amid geopolitical churn in West Asia and the crystallisation of a new Saudi-Pakistan-US alignment, offering a window into
Article "Remembering Mughni Tabassum".. continued (2/2)
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