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Paul Kapur sworn in as US Asst Secretary for South, Central Asia
The Indian-American academic succeeds Donald Lu, bringing long experience in the U.S.-India relations and regional strategy.
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Pranavi Sharma - Thu, 23, Oct 2025
- 23:37 EDT
- 19
Paul Kapur swearing in. / X
Paul Kapur was sworn in on Oct. 23 as the new Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, succeeding Donald Lu, who held the post from September 2021 until January 2025. The ceremony marks a key transition in the State Department’s leadership overseeing U.S. policy toward a region central to Washington’s security and economic priorities.
The Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs announced the appointment on X, writing, “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 bureau guides U.S. policy on regional security, counterterrorism, trade, and infrastructure cooperation across South and Central Asia.
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. pic.twitter.com/dLjqmPjHVP
— State_SCA (@State_SCA) October 22, 2025
Born in New Delhi to an Indian father and an American mother, Kapur identifies as Indian-American. “I grew up thoroughly American,” he has said, recalling frequent visits to India during his childhood. He earned his undergraduate degree from Amherst College and a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago.
Kapur is widely recognized for his scholarship on South Asian security and nuclear strategy. His books Jihad as Grand Strategy: Islamist Militancy, National Security, and the Pakistan State (2016) and Dangerous Deterrent: Nuclear Weapons Proliferation and Conflict in South Asia (2017) are considered key studies on regional security dynamics. His academic work includes teaching at Stanford University, the U.S. Naval War College, and currently, the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.
From 2020 to 2021, Kapur served on the State Department’s Policy Planning Staff, focusing on the Indo-Pacific strategy and U.S.-India relations. He was also closely involved in the U.S.-India Track 1.5 dialogue and other defense and strategic partnerships between the two nations.
ALSO READ: Paul Kapur nominated to head US South Asia Bureau
Kapur’s confirmation was approved by the Senate earlier this month, alongside the appointment of Sergio Gor as U.S. Ambassador to India.
With his dual background in academia and policy, Kapur is expected to bring a research-driven but pragmatic approach to strengthening U.S. engagement across South and Central Asia—particularly as Washington navigates shifting power dynamics involving China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
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