UK high commissioner to India, Lindy Cameron, set to be first woman permanent undersecretary at FCDO

New Delhi: As the first woman to hold the title, the British high commissioner to India has been appointed permanent undersecretary (PUS) at the kingdom’a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

A permanent undersecretary is the most senior civil servant in a UK government department and oversees day-to-day administration, policy implementation, and staff and budget management, while remaining politically neutral and serving the elected secretary of state.

Before taking charge as the British high commissioner to the Republic of India in April 2024, she served as the CEO of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre and has held senior roles in the Northern Ireland Office and the Department for International Development. Her new appointment will have a fixed-term of five years. The position is equivalent to that of the foreign secretary in India. :

On her appointment, Cameron said, “Having served at home and abroad with both DFID and FCO since joining the Civil Service (in 1998, I couldn’t be prouder I couldn’t be prouder to have the opportunity to lead our amazing diplomats and development professionals as Permanent Secretary of the FCDO.” She added that she has seen “first hand what a difference we can make to every corner of the UK – delivering growth, security and opportunity, as we have done in partnership with India during my time here as high commissioner.” Speaking about her work during her tenure in India, she said, “I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved in India and I will be sad to leave, but I can’t wait to get started on this new challenge.”

One of the breakthroughs that happened here in India was the signing of the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) in 2025, which came into effect on July 15 this year. Recently, the UK’s Rolls Royce and India’s Reliance joined forces to develop an indigenous engine for the AMCA (advanced medium combat aircraft). Electric Propulsion Capability Partnership (EPCP) and Jet Engine Advanced Core Technologies (JEACT) were two of the major areas where the two countries had decided to collaborate on under the India-UK Vision 2035. Earlier this year, India deployed three Qualified Flying Instructors (QFI) to Royal Air Force (RAF) Valley in the UK. India is also buying Lightweight Multirole Missiles from the UK under a government-to-government contract.

During her tenure, the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, visited India in October 2025 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a visit to the UK in July 2025.

On Cameron’s appointment, Foreign Secretary Edward Miliband said, “I am delighted that Lindy Cameron has been appointed as Permanent Under Secretary of the FCDO. Lindy brings enormous experience across the fields of diplomacy, development and national security, and a reputation for dynamic leadership in postings across the world, most recently as high commissioner in India.” He added that she “brings enormous experience across the fields of diplomacy, development and national security, and a reputation for dynamic leadership in postings across the world, most recently as high commissioner in India”.

She will replace Nick Dyer, who is acting as the interim permanent undersecretary since Olly Robbins was fired from his position in April this year as the department’s most senior civil servant amid controversy over Peter Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador.  Peter Mandelson, who was sacked as UK ambassador to the US after revelations about the extent of his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Robbins got in trouble because, as the UK foreign office’s top civil servant, he oversaw the decision to overrule the government’s own security vetting agency, which had been leaning against clearing Mandelson for the ambassador job in early 2025. When this came to light in April 2026, Starmer said that he had never been told about this; the PM fired Robbins for losing his confidence.