{"id":57338,"date":"2026-01-04T11:38:40","date_gmt":"2026-01-04T06:08:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=57338"},"modified":"2026-01-07T12:49:44","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T07:19:44","slug":"foreign-ministers-of-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/foreign-ministers-of-india\/","title":{"rendered":"Foreign Ministers of India, List from 1946 to 2026, Tenure"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is headed by the Minister of External Affairs, who is also a member of the Union Cabinet. While the minister sets the direction, the day-to-day administration is overseen by the Foreign Secretary, a senior officer from the Indian Foreign Service. The MEA manages India\u2019s representation in the United Nations and other international bodies, oversees embassies and commissions around the world, and advises other ministries and state governments on matters related to foreign affairs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Foreign Ministers of India<\/b><\/h2>\n

The Foreign Minister of India holds one of the most important portfolios in the Union Cabinet. This role is central to shaping India\u2019s foreign policy and maintaining diplomatic relations with the rest of the world. The position is usually allocated to a senior or highly experienced member of the cabinet.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Foreign Minister represents India on the global stage, attending international summits, negotiating treaties, and fostering bilateral ties. So far, 29 individuals have held this post. Notably, Indira Gandhi was the First Woman Foreign Minister of India, from 6 September 1967 to 13 February 1969.<\/span><\/p>\n

Foreign Ministers of India History<\/b><\/h2>\n

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) was originally known as the Ministry of External Affairs and Commonwealth Relations when it was established in 1948. First Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, personally handled this portfolio until his death in 1964.<\/span><\/p>\n

Over time, the Ministry\u2019s responsibilities expanded beyond diplomatic relations. It took charge of the Protection of Pilgrims Act, 1887, the Indian Pilgrim Shipping Rules 1933, and the Mohammedan Pilgrims Act, 1896. It was also responsible for the administration of Naga Hill\u2019s Tuensang Area.<\/span><\/p>\n

Today, the Ministry of External Affairs remains the central authority for managing India\u2019s foreign relations and diplomatic missions worldwide.<\/span><\/p>\n

List of Foreign Ministers of India<\/b><\/h2>\n

Here\u2019s the List of Foreign Ministers of India from 1964 to the present.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
List of Foreign Minister of India<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Foreign Minister<\/strong><\/td>\nTenure<\/strong><\/td>\nPrime Minister<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

1. Jawahar Lal Nehru<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

2 Sept. 1946 to 27 May 1964<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Himself<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

2. Gulzarilal Nanda<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

27 May 1964 to 9 June 1964<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Himself (acting)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

3. Lal Bahadur Shastri<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

9 June 1964 to 17 July 1964<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Himself<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

4. Swaran Singh<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

18 July 1964 to 14 Nov. 1966<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

5. M. C. Chagla<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

14 Nov. 1966 to 5 Sept. 1967<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Indira Gandhi<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

6. Indira Gandhi<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

6 Sept. 1967 to 13 Feb. 1969<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Indira Gandhi<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

7. Dinesh Singh<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

14 Feb. 1969 to 27 June 1970<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Indira Gandhi<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Swaran Singh\u00a0 (reappointed)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

27 June 1970 to 10 Oct. 1974<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Indira Gandhi<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

8. Yashwantrao Chavan<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

10 Oct. 1974 to 24 March 1977<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Indira Gandhi<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

9.Atal Bihari Vajpayee\u00a0 (Janata Party )<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

26 March 1977 28 to July 1979<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Morarji Desai<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

10. Shyam Nandan Prasad Mishra (Janata Party (Secular))<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

28 July 1979 to 13 January 1980<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Charan Singh<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

11. P. V. Narasimha Rao<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

14 Jan. 1980 to 19 July 1984<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Indira Gandhi<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Indira Gandhi (reappointed)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

19 July 1984 to 31 Oct. 1984<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Herself<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

12. Rajiv Gandhi<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

31 Oct. 1984 to 24 Sept. 1985<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Himself<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

13. Bali Ram Bhagat<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

25 Sept. 1985 to 12 May 1986<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Rajiv Gandhi<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

14. P. Shiv Shankar<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

12 May 1986 to 22 Oct. 1986<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Rajiv Gandhi<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

15.N. D. Tiwari<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

22 Oct. 1986 to 25 July 1987<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Rajiv Gandhi<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Rajiv Gandhi (Repeated)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

25 July 1987 to 25 June 1988<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Himself<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

P. V. Narasimha Rao (reappointed)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

25 June 1988 to 2 Dec. 1989<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Rajiv Gandhi<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

16. V. P. Singh (Janta Dal)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

2 Dec. 1989 to 5 Dec. 1989<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Himself<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

17. I. K. Gujral\u00a0 (Janata Dal (National Front))<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

5 Dec. 1989 to 10 Nov. 1990<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

V. P. Singh<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

18. Vidya Charan Shukla (Samajwadi Janata Party)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

21 Nov. 1990 to 20 Feb. 1991<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Chandra Shekhar<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

19. Madhavsinh Solanki<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

21 June 1991 to 31 March 1992<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

P. V. Narasimha Rao<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

P. V. Narasimha Rao (reappointed))<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

31 March 1992 to 18 January 1993<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Himself<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Dinesh Singh (reappointed)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

18 January 1993 to 10 February 1995<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

P. V. Narasimha Rao<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

20. Pranab Mukherjee<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

10 February 1995 to 16 May 1996<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

P. V. Narasimha Rao<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

21. Sikander Bakht<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

21 May 1996 to 1 June 1996<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Atal Bihari Vajpayee<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

I. K. Gujral (Janata Dal )<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

1 June 1996 to 18 March 1998<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

H. D. Deve Gowda & I. K. Gujral<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Atal Bihari Vajpayee (reappointed)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

19 March 1998 to 5 December 1998<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Atal Bihari Vajpayee<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

22. Jaswant Singh<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

5 Dec. 1998 to 23 June 2002<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Atal Bihari Vajpayee<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

23.Yashwant Sinha<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

1 July 2002 to 22 May 2004<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Atal Bihari Vajpayee<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

24. Natwar Singh<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

22 May 2004 TO 6 Nov. 2005<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Manmohan Singh<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

25. Manmohan Singh<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

6 Nov. 2005 to 24 Oct. 2006<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

himself<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Pranab Mukherjee (reappointed)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

24 Oct. 2006 to 22 May 2009<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Manmohan Singh<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

26. S. M. Krishna<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

22 May 2009 to 26 Oct. 2012<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Manmohan Singh<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

27. Salman Khurshid<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

28 Oct. 2012 to 26 May 2014<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Manmohan Singh<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

28. Sushma Swaraj<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

26 May 2014 to 30 May 2019<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Narendra Modi<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

29. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

30 May 2019 — Incumbent<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Narendra Modi<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Longest Serving External Affairs Minister of India<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Jawaharlal Nehru, India\u2019s first Prime Minister, also served as the External Affairs Minister (earlier known as the External & Commonwealth Affairs portfolio). He held this charge continuously from 1946\u201347 until his death in 1964, alongside the prime ministership. This made him the longest-serving External Affairs Minister in India\u2019s history.<\/p>\n

First Foreign Minister of India<\/b><\/h2>\n