Senate Confirms Paul Kapur As Assistant Secretary Of State For South Asia

India-West News Desk

WASHINGTON, DC: The U.S. Senate has confirmed political scientist S. Paul Kapur as Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, entrusting him with oversight of U.S. diplomacy across a vast and strategically vital region that includes Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, the Maldives, and the five Central Asian republics.

Kapur’s appointment places him at the center of Washington’s engagement with South and Central Asia at a time of shifting power dynamics involving China and Russia. The bureau he now leads shapes U.S. policy on regional security, economic development, and strategic cooperation.

A 56-year-old scholar, Kapur is widely recognized for his research on nuclear deterrence, South Asian security, and great-power competition.

With a distinguished academic record and a nuanced understanding of the region, Kapur is expected to bring intellectual depth and policy experience to his new role. His scholarship has long examined the balance of power between India and Pakistan, the evolution of U.S. grand strategy, and how India navigates its relationships with major powers such as the United States and China.

Born in New Delhi to an Indian father and an American mother, he grew up in the United States and built a career that bridges academia and policy. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Amherst College and a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Chicago.

Before joining the State Department, Kapur taught at Claremont McKenna College and Stanford University and currently serves as a professor of national security affairs at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, where he leads U.S.–India strategic dialogues for the Department of Defense.