AI Generated Summary
- As tensions and opportunities alike continue to define South and Central Asia — from India’s growing global role to the challenges in Afghanistan and Pakistan — Kapur’s appointment signals Washington’s intent to bring a seasoned scholar-practitioner to the diplomatic frontlines.
- Between 2020 and 2021, Kapur worked on the State Department’s Policy Planning Staff, where he contributed to the development of policies concerning South and Central Asia, the Indo-Pacific strategy, and U.
- Before assuming his current role, he served as a professor in the Department of National Security Affairs at the U.
Indian-American scholar and security expert Dr. Paul Kapur has officially taken charge as the new Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, a role central to shaping America’s diplomacy across one of the world’s most geopolitically complex regions.
The Bureau announced his swearing-in late Wednesday night through a social media post, welcoming him to his new position. “Welcome to @State_SCA, Assistant Secretary Paul Kapur! This morning Dr. Kapur was officially sworn in as the Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs,” the announcement read.
In his new capacity, Kapur will oversee U.S. diplomatic relations and strategic partnerships with a diverse group of nations — including India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. He succeeds Donald Lu, who had held the post since 2021.
A Scholar Turned Diplomat
Born in New Delhi to an Indian father and an American mother, Dr. Kapur brings a rare blend of academic expertise and policy experience to the State Department. Before assuming his current role, he served as a professor in the Department of National Security Affairs at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School and as a visiting fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution.
Between 2020 and 2021, Kapur worked on the State Department’s Policy Planning Staff, where he contributed to the development of policies concerning South and Central Asia, the Indo-Pacific strategy, and U.S.-India relations — areas that are now central to his portfolio as Assistant Secretary.
Contributions to Security Studies
Kapur is widely recognized in academic and policy circles for his extensive research on nuclear proliferation, deterrence theory, Islamist militancy, and the strategic dynamics of South Asia. His book “Jihad as Grand Strategy: Islamist Militancy, National Security, and the Pakistani State” made waves for its provocative thesis that Pakistan’s use of jihad was not a symptom of state weakness but a deliberate national security strategy.
With a Bachelor’s degree from Amherst College and a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, Kapur has long been a respected voice on issues of regional stability and great-power competition in Asia.
Charting the Road Ahead
As tensions and opportunities alike continue to define South and Central Asia — from India’s growing global role to the challenges in Afghanistan and Pakistan — Kapur’s appointment signals Washington’s intent to bring a seasoned scholar-practitioner to the diplomatic frontlines.
His blend of academic insight and practical policy experience positions him to play a key role in advancing the Biden administration’s strategic vision for the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
