List of foreign politicians of Indian origin

This article contains a list of Wikipedia articles about politicians in countries outside of Indian subcontinent who are of Indian origin.

Countries with heads of state or government of Indian descent (past or present)

Australia edit

Federal parliament edit

Christabel Chamarette – Greens Senator for Western Australia
Zaneta Mascarenhas – Labor MP for Swan
Lisa Singh – Labor Senator for Tasmania
Dave Sharma – Liberal MP for Wentworth

State and territory parliaments edit

June D'Rozario – Northern Territory Labor MLA
Deepak-Raj Gupta – Australian Capital Territory Labor MLA
Jags Krishnan – Western Australia Labor MLA
Kevin Michel – Western Australia Labor MLA
Daniel Mookhey – New South Wales Labor MLC
Lauren Moss – Northern Territory Labor MLA
Yaz Mubarakai – Western Australia Labor MLA
Gurmesh Singh – New South Wales National MP
Kaushaliya Vaghela – Victoria Labor MLC
Anne Warner – Queensland Labor MLA

Canada edit

Bharat Agnihotri – Alberta Liberal MLA
Hardial Bains – founder and leader of the Marxist–Leninist Party of Canada, 1970–1997
Harry Bains – British Columbia New Democratic MLA
Navdeep Bains – Liberal Member of Parliament
Bardish Chagger - Liberal Member of Parliament
Bas Balkissoon
Gulzar Singh Cheema – British Columbia and Manitoba MLA
Raj Chouhan – British Columbia NDP MLA
Herb Dhaliwal – Liberal MP; first Indo-Canadian cabinet minister
Ruby Dhalla – Liberal MP
Vic Dhillon – Ontario Liberal Ontario MPP
Ujjal Dosanjh – former Premier of British Columbia; first Indo-Canadian premier; former federal Minister of Health
Parm Gill – Conservative Member of Parliament for Brampton—Springdale
Raminder Gill – former Ontario Progressive Conservative MPP and federal Conservative candidate
Jyoti Gondek – Mayor of Calgary since October 25, 2021
Baljit Gosal – MP and Minister of State for Sports
Gurmant Grewal – former Conservative MP, half (with Nina, listed below) of the first married couple to serve as MPs in the same session of Parliament
Nina Grewal – Conservative MP, half (with Gurmant) of the first married couple to serve as MPs in the same session of Parliament
Dave Hayer – former British Columbia BC Liberal MLA for Surrey Tynehead
Bidhu Jha – Manitoba NDP MLA
Kamal Khera – Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) for Brampton West and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue
Kuldip Singh Kular – Ontario Liberal MPP
Harry Lali – BC NDP MLA
Shuvaloy Majumdar – Conservative MP
Gurbax Singh Malhi – Liberal MP
Harinder Malhi – Liberal MP
Rob Nijjar – former BC Liberal MLA
Deepak Obhrai – Alberta Conservative Party MP
Raj Pannu – former leader of the Alberta New Democrats; first Indo-Canadian leader of a political party
Harjit Singh Sajjan – Member of Parliament representing the riding of Vancouver South and Minister of National Defense
Randeep Sarai – Member of Parliament for the federal electoral district Surrey Centre
Shiraz Shariff – Alberta Progressive Conservative MLA
Moe Sihota – former British Columbia NDP MLA and television host
Jaggi Singh – anti-globalization activist
Jagmeet Singh – former NDP MLA for Bramlea- Malton (Ontario); elected leader of the Federal New Democratic Party (NDP); first person of Indian descent to be elected leader of a prominent party at the national level in North America
Harinder Takhar – Ontario Liberal MPP and Minister of Transportation
Tim Uppal – Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for Edmonton Mill Woods
Murad Velshi – former Ontario Liberal MPP
Prasad Panda – UCP MLA for Calgary, Alberta
Judi Tyabji – Indian(Bengali)-Canadian politician & was the youngest elected Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from Progressive Democratic Alliance party
Chandra Arya – Liberal MP from Napean

Fiji edit

Mahendra Chaudhry – first Indo-Fijian Prime Minister (1999–2000)
Ahmed Ali (1938–2005) – several times a cabinet minister
George Shiu Raj – Cabinet Minister
Anand Singh – Fiji Labour Party Senator and former Attorney-General
Vijay R. Singh – former Cabinet Minister
Sidiq Koya – Leader of the Opposition National Federation Party
Dorsami Naidu – Leader of the National Federation Party
A. D. Patel (1905–1969)- founder of the National Federation Party
Pramod Rae – General Secretary of the National Federation Party
Jai Ram Reddy – Leader of the National Federation Party (1977–1987; 1992–1999); judge
Prem Singh – former NFP leader
Raman Pratap Singh – National Federation Party leader
Amjad Ali – FLP politician
Narendra Arjun – former NFP parliamentarian
Anand Babla – FLP politician
Pratap Chand – FLP politician
Gaffar Ahmed – FLP politician
Gunasagaran Gounder – FLP politician
Hafiz Khan – businessman and Senator
James Shri Krishna – FLP politician
Prince Gopal Lakshman – FLP politician
Surendra Lal – FLP politician
Sanjeet Chand Maharaj – FLP politician
Perumal Mupnar – FLP Member of Parliament
Shivlal Nagindas – Labasa businessman and former Senator
Damodaran Nair – FLP Member of Parliament
Gyani Nand – FLP politician
Ragho Nand – FLP politician
Udit Narayan – FLP politician
Krishna Prasad – FLP Member of Parliament
Ram Sharan – FLP politician
Gyan Singh – FLP Member of Parliament
Pravin Singh – FLP Member of Parliament
Satendra Singh – FLP politician
Lekh Ram Vayeshnoi – Fiji Labour Party parliamentarian

Germany edit

Ashok-Alexander Sridharan – Mayor of Bonn

Guyana edit

Dale Bisnauth
Ronald Gajraj
Cheddi Jagan – 4th President of Guyana (1992-1997)
Bharrat Jagdeo – 7th Prime Minister (1999) and 7th President (1999-2011)
Samuel Insanally
Joey Jagan
Edward Luckhoo
Lionel Luckhoo – politician, diplomat, and lawyer
Donald Ramotar – 8th President (2011-2015)
Moses Nagamootoo – 8th Prime Minister of Guyana (2015-2020)
Irfaan Ali – 10th President (2020–present)
Peter Ramsaroop
Shridath Ramphal – Commonwealth Secretary General (1975-1990)
Rupert Roopnaraine

Ireland edit

Leo Varadkar – Taoiseach (2017–2020; 2022–present)

Jamaica edit

Kamala-Jean Gopie

Japan edit

Yogendra Puranik

Kenya edit

Sunjeev Kour Birdi – Member of Parliament
Alibhai Mulla Jeevanjee – merchant, politician and philanthropist
Pio Gama Pinto – journalist, politician and freedom fighter
Fitz Remedios Santana de Souza

Malaysia edit

Tun Mahathir Mohamed – Prime Minister of Malaysia (1981-2003, 2018-2020)
V. David – politician
K. L. Devaser – fourth president of the Malaysian Indian Congress
P. Kamalanathan – Member of Parliament Hulu Selangor and Deputy Minister, Ministry of Education; Central Working Committee Member of the Malaysian Indian Congress; founding member of PUTERA MIC
Datuk M. Kayveas – president of PPP and deputy minister
Devaki Krishnan – first Malaysian Indian woman to become a municipal councillor
Tan Sri Devaki Krishnan – former politician
Tan Sri V. Manickavasagam – sixth president of the Malaysian Indian Congress and former Minister of Communication
M. Manoharan – former member of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly; known for his involvement with HINDRAF
K. S. Nijhar – Member of Parliament
Datuk G. Palanivel – Deputy Minister of Women and Family Development and deputy president of Malaysian Indian Congress
Tan Sri M. G. Pandithan – founding President of the Indian Progressive Front (IPF)
K. Parthiban – state assemblyman for Ijok (2007–2008)
Datuk K. Pathmanaban – politician and former Deputy Minister of Labour and founder of Melaka Manipal Medical College
Sivarasa Rasiah – human rights lawyer and vice-president of the opposition Parti Keadilan Rakyat (People's Justice Party)
Tun V. T. Sambanthan – one of the founding fathers of independent Malaya and Founder of National Land Finance Co-op.(NLFCS).
D. R. Seenivasagam – founder of PPP and politician
Kula Segaran – MP for Ipoh Barat and DAP National Vice Chairman
Karpal Singh – chairman of opposition Democratic Action Party and member of parliament
Datuk K. Sivalingam – former member of the state executive council of Selangor
John Thivy – freedom fighter and founding president of the Malayan Indian Congress
E. E. C. Thuraisingham – politician of pre-Independence Malaysia
Tan Sri G. Vadiveloo – former Speaker of the Senate
Datuk Seri Samy Vellu – Works Minister in the Malaysian cabinet and president of the Malaysian Indian Congress

Mauritius edit

Sookdeo Bissoondoyal – politician and one of the three founding fathers of independent Mauritius
Dayendranath Burrenchobay – Governor-General of Mauritius (1978-1983)
Jaya Krishna Cuttaree – diplomat
Madun Dulloo – diplomat
Anerood Jugnauth – Prime Minister (2000-2003, 2014-2017) and President of Mauritius (2003-2012)
Pravind Jugnauth – Prime Minister of Mauritius (2017–present)
Dev Manraj – former Financial Secretary
Abdool Razack Mohamed – one of the three founding fathers of independent Mauritius
Kailash Purryag – President (2012-2015)
Navin Ramgoolam – Prime Minister (1995-2000, 2005-2014)
Seewoosagur Ramgoolam – Prime Minister (1968-1982) and one of the three founding fathers of independent Mauritius
Veerasamy Ringadoo – President (1992)
Cassam Uteem – President (2002)
Ameenah Gurib-Fakim – President (2015-2018)
Prithvirajsing Roopun – President (2019–present)

Netherlands edit

Tanja Jadnanansing – Labour Party politician

New Zealand edit

Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi – Member of Parliament
Parmjeet Parmar – Member of Parliament
Anand Satyanand – first Governor-General of New Zealand of Asian descent (2006-2011)
Priyanca Radhakrishnan – Member of Parliament

Papua New Guinea edit

Sasindran Muthuvel – Governor of West New Britain

Philippines edit

Ramon Bagatsing - former Congressman and Mayor of Manila (1972-1986)

Portugal edit

Jorge Barreto Xavier (born 1965) - Secretary of State of Culture (2012-2015)
Kalidás Barreto (1932-2020) - MP for Castanheira de Pera
António Maria de Bettencourt Rodrigues (1854-1933) - Judge and diplomat
António Costa (born 1961) – Prime Minister of Portugal (2015–present)
Narana Coissoró (born 1933) - Member of Parliament
Alfredo Bruto da Costa (1938-2016) - Minister of Health and Welfare (1979-1980)
Alfredo Nobre da Costa (1923-1996) - Prime Minister (1978)
Francisco Luís Gomes (1829-1869), Member of Português Cortes Gerais for Goa
João Leão (born 1974) - Finance Minister (2020-2022)
Jaime Valfredo Rangel (1897-1959) - Diplomat
Gabriel Mithá Ribeiro (born 1965) - MP for Leiria District
Rosendo Ribeiro (1871-1951) - Vice-Consul of Portugal in Nairobi
Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho (1936-2021) - Leader in Portuguese provisional government after the Carnation Revolution

Singapore edit

Vivian Balakrishnan – Minister of Community Development, Youth and Sports; former CEO of Singapore General Hospital
S. Dhanabalan – Chairman of Temasek Holdings and DBS Bank, former Minister of National Development, Trade and Industry and Foreign Affairs; tipped by Singapore's first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew as one of the four men he considered as a possible successor
James Gomez – senior leader in the main opposition party (the Workers Party); founder of Think Centre, a political NGO
S. Iswaran – Minister for Communications and Information, former Managing Director of Temasek Holdings
S. Jayakumar – Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Law and co-ordinating Minister for Security; former Foreign Minister and ambassador to the United Nations, and Dean of the Law School in Singapore
J. B. Jeyaretnam – former Leader of the Opposition; former MP; first person to break the PAP monopoly in parliament in 1984; former magistrate
Devan Nair – third President of Singapore (1981–1985), father of the modern trades union movement in Singapore
Hri Kumar Nair – former MP
S. R. Nathan – 6th President of Singapore (1999-2011)
Murali Pillai – MP
Indranee Rajah – Minister in Prime minister's Office, Senior Counsel of Supreme Court of Singapore
S. Rajaratnam – former Senior Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Labour and Culture; co-founder of the Peoples Action Party and Association of South East Asian Nations; author of the Singapore Pledge; one of the pioneer leaders of modern Singapore
Balaji Sadasivan – Junior Minister
K. Shanmugam – Minister for Home Affairs, former Senior Counsel of Supreme Court of Singapore
Tharman Shanmugaratnam – 9th and current President of Singapore. Former Minister of Education and former head of Singapore's de facto central bank
Pritam Singh – Leader of the Opposition and MP
Halimah Yacob – 8th President of Singapore (2017–2023)

Seychelles edit

Wavel Ramkalawan – President of Seychelles (2020–present)
Satya Naidu- first Hindu member of Seychelles National Assembly.^[1]

South Africa edit

Yusuf Dadoo – doctor and politician
Frene Ginwala – former speaker of the National Assembly
Pregs Govender
Ronnie Govender
Ahmed Kathrada – political activist
Jody Kollapen
Mac Maharaj – political activist and former MP
George Naicker
Monty Naicker
Amma Naidoo
Indira Naidoo
Naransamy Roy Naidoo
Shanti Naidoo
Thambi Naidoo
Xavier Naidoo
Billy Nair
Dullah Omar – politician
Aziz Pahad – political activist and former MP
Essop Pahad – political activist and former MP
Radhakrishna Padayachi – Deputy Minister for Communication
Ebrahim Patel – Minister of Economy
Enver Surty – Deputy Minister of Basic Education
Thillaiaadi Valliammai

Spain edit

Robert Masih Nahar, senator in the Spanish Senate

Suriname edit

Ashwin Adhin – Vice President (2015-2020)^[2]
Jagernath Lachmon – Speaker of the National Assembly of Suriname (1987-1996, 2000-2001)
Marijke Djwalapersad – Speaker of the National Assembly (1996-2000)
Fred Ramdat Misier – President of Suriname (1982–1988)
Errol Alibux – Prime Minister of Suriname (1983-1984)
Pretaap Radhakishun – Prime Minister (1986-1987)
Chan Santokhi – President (2020–present)
Ram Sardjoe – Speaker of the National Assembly (2001-2005) and Vice President (2005-2010)
Ramsewak Shankar – President (1988–1990)

Switzerland edit

Nik Gugger – adopted from Karnataka; first Indian-origin members of the Swiss parliament^[3]

Tanzania edit

Thailand edit

Santi Thakral – former president of the Supreme Court of Thailand and former member of the Privy Council of Thailand

Trinidad and Tobago edit

Raziah Ahmed – President of the Senate (2015)
Faris Al-Rawi – Attorney General (2015-2022)
Linda Baboolal – President of the Senate (2002-2007)
Rudranath Capildeo
Simbhoonath Capildeo
Carol Cuffy-Dowlat
Winston Dookeran
George F. Fitzpatrick
Hardeo Hardath – former MP
Noor Hassanali – President (1987-1997)
Christine Kangaloo – President (2023-present)
Franklin Khan
Fuad Khan
Dhanayshar Mahabir
Devant Maharaj
Ramesh Maharaj
Kenneth Ramchand
Bhadase Maraj
Ralph Maraj
Wade Mark
Roodal Moonilal
Basdeo Panday – Trade Union leader and Prime Minister (1995-2001)
Kamla Persad-Bissessar – Prime Minister (2010-2015)
Mohammed Faisal Rahman
Surujrattan Rambachan
Anand Ramlogan
Adrian Cola Rienzi (Krishna Deonarine Tiwari)
Raffique Shah – Leader of the Opposition
Cindy Devika Sharma
Ashford Sinanan

United Kingdom edit

Baron Bhattacharyya – Member of the House of Lords
Mancherjee Bhownagree – Conservative MP; second Indian MP in the House of Commons
Harpal Brar - Chairman of the Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist)
Nirj Deva – Conservative MEP
Parmjit Dhanda – Labour MP
Rajani Palme Dutt - General Secretary of the Communist Party of Great Britain
Piara Khabra – Labour MP
Ashok Kumar – Labour MP
Claude Moraes – Labour MEP
Dadabhai Naoroji – Liberal MP; first Indian MP in the House of Commons
Priti Patel – Conservative MP; Home Secretary from July 2019 to 6 September 2022^[update]
Shapurji Saklatvala – Communist MP
Virendra Sharma – Labour MP and councillor in Ealing
Alok Sharma – Conservative MP and Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Marsha Singh – Labour MP
Parmjit Singh Gill – Liberal Democrat MP
Satyendra Prasanna Sinha, 1st Baron Sinha – first Indian member of the House of Lords
Rishi Sunak – Prime Minister and Leader of the Conservative Party (2022–present)
Shailesh Vara – Conservative MP
Keith Vaz – Labour MP; longest-serving British Asian MP; former Minister for Europe and Privy Council member

United States edit

Nimi McConigley – Republican member of the Wyoming House of Representatives was the first Indian born person and the first Indian American women to serve in any State legislature.
Harry Anand – mayor of Laurel Hollow, New York; first Indian-American mayor in New York
Neel Kashkari – Republican politician and former Gubernatorial candidate in California
Niraj J. Antani – Republican member of Ohio House of Representatives from Ohio's 42nd District; first Indian American Republican elected to the Ohio House
Sam Arora – former Democratic member of the Maryland House of Delegates
Kumar P. Barve – Democratic member (and former Majority Leader) of the Maryland House of Delegates from Maryland's 17th Legislative District in Montgomery County; first Indian American to be elected to any state legislature
Ami Bera – Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 7th congressional district – former Chief Medical Officer for Sacramento County
Raj Peter Bhakta – entrepreneur, former The Apprentice contestant, and 2006 Republican U.S. House nominee in Pennsylvania's 13th congressional district
Ravinder S. Bhalla – mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey, first Sikh mayor in NJ
Satveer Chaudhary – former state senator and representative in Minnesota Senate and Minnesota House of Representatives
Joy Cherian – first Asian and Indian American head of the EEOC
Upendra Chivukula – Commissioner on the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities; former Democratic member and Deputy Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly (first Indian-American elected to the NJ state legislature)
Swati Dandekar – member of Iowa House of Representatives
Bhagwan Dashairya – 2006 nominee for Governor of Michigan of the U.S. Taxpayers Party
Manka Dhingra – Democratic member of the Washington State Senate from Washington's 45th legislative district
Kashmir Gill – mayor of Yuba City, California; first Indian-American mayor in CA and first Sikh mayor in the US
Vin Gopal – Democratic member of the New Jersey Senate from New Jersey's 11th Legislative District, which covers portions of Monmouth County; third Indian American elected to NJ state legislature and first Indian American NJ state senator; former Chairman of the Monmouth County Democratic Party
Raj Goyle – former Democratic member of the Kansas House of Representatives from Kansas' 87th District; first Indian American elected official in that state
Nikki Haley – former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and Governor of South Carolina; first Indian American to hold both offices and first female Governor of South Carolina
Kamala Harris – 49th Vice President of the United States (first Indian American; first African American; and first female Vice President of the U.S.); former United States Senator from the State of California (first Indian American in the U.S. Senate and first African American senator from California); 32nd Attorney General of California (first Indian American attorney general in the U.S.) and the 27th District Attorney of San Francisco (first district attorney in the U.S. of Indian descent)
Satish Hiremath – mayor of Oro Valley, Arizona; second Indian-American mayor in the US
Pramila Jayapal – Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Washington's 7th Congressional District; former member of the Washington State Senate; first Indian American woman in both offices; founder of OneAmerica, a pro-immigration advocacy group
Bobby Jindal – former Republican Governor of Louisiana (first Indian American governor in US history); former member of U.S. House of Representatives; former U.S. presidential candidate
Ro Khanna – Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 17th Congressional District, former Deputy Assistant at the U.S. Department of Commerce
Kris Kolluri – New Jersey Commissioner of Transportation
Raja Krishnamoorthi – Democratic Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois' 8th Congressional District
Aruna Miller – Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, former member of the Maryland House of Delegates
Raj Mukherji – Majority Whip and Democratic member of the New Jersey General Assembly from New Jersey's 33rd Legislative District covering portions of Hudson County (second Indian American elected to NJ state legislature); former Deputy Mayor of Jersey City, NJ; former Commissioner and Chairman of the Jersey City Housing Authority (then the youngest to serve in that position)
Ajit Pai – Chairman of the FCC and first Indian American to hold that position
Rachel Paulose – first woman to become a U.S. Attorney in Minnesota; US Attorney for the District of Minnesota
Kesha Ram – four-term member of the Vermont House of Representatives; candidate for Lieutenant Governor
Harpreet Singh Sandhu – former Richmond City Council member
Reshma Saujani – first Indian woman to run for Congress
Amish Shah – member of the Arizona House of Representatives
Balvir Singh – on the Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders, New Jersey; first Asian-American to win a countywide election in Burlington County; first Sikh-American to win a countywide election in NJ^[4]
Dalip Singh Saund – first Indian-American congressman; Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California
Kshama Sawant – Seattle City Council member; first socialist to win a city-wide election in Seattle since the radical progressive Anna Louise Strong was elected to the school board in 1916
Kevin Thomas – first Indian-American member of the New York State Senate
Seema Verma – first Indian-American female administrator of the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Sara Gideon - Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives
Suhas Subramanyam - first Indian-American elected to the Virginia General Assembly and former Obama Administration White House official

References edit

^ Devirupa Mitra. "Interview: 'Not in Favour of Any Foreign Military Base': Seychelles' First Hindu MP Sathya Naidu". The Wire. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
^ "Live blog: Verkiezing president en vicepresident Suriname". De Ware Tijd (in Dutch). Retrieved 13 July 2020.
^ Man adopted from Karnataka becomes first Indian-origin MP in Switzerland, Hindustan Times, 18 Jan 2018.
^ Hefler, Jan. "Race-baiting ads backfired, says Sikh who broke barriers in South Jersey freeholder race", The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 8, 2017. Accessed December 2, 2017.

[1] Devirupa Mitra. "Interview: 'Not in Favour of Any Foreign Military Base': Seychelles' First Hindu MP Sathya Naidu". The Wire. Retrieved 24 February 2021.

[dwtblog-2] "Live blog: Verkiezing president en vicepresident Suriname". De Ware Tijd (in Dutch). Retrieved 13 July 2020.

[pol1-3] Man adopted from Karnataka becomes first Indian-origin MP in Switzerland, Hindustan Times, 18 Jan 2018.

[4] Hefler, Jan. "Race-baiting ads backfired, says Sikh who broke barriers in South Jersey freeholder race", The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 8, 2017. Accessed December 2, 2017.

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