Former diplomat Taranjit Singh Sandhu’s entry into Delhi’s Lok Niwas comes at a time when the BJP government is looking to deliver on its promises to build Delhi into the “world’s best capital” and “undo years of neglect”.
As the Cabinet led by first-time Chief Minister Rekha Gupta works towards this end, Mr. Sandhu’s experience as India’s former Ambassador to the United States between 2020 and 2024 — during the COVID-19 outbreak and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the U.S. in 2023 — is expected to lend experience and expertise to the job at hand.
Relations with U.S.
As the Lieutenant-Governor of Delhi, which hosts one of the largest diplomatic communities in the world, Mr. Sandhu will have the advantage of drawing on his extensive diplomatic experience, including coordinating India-U.S. relations during the first presidency of Donald Trump. His connection with the current Trump administration was evident when the U.S. President wrote to him conveying condolences and tributes following the passing of his brother, Jasjit Singh Samundri, in October 2025.
Mr. Sandhu, 63, was also among the first Indians to meet Sergio Gor, President Trump’s Ambassador to India, after he assumed office in New Delhi earlier this year. The former diplomat was hosted at the Roosevelt House following Mr. Gor’s arrival.
